Fe Fi Fo FunFest, “Giant” runs and hikes, and wildflower walks are part of spring celebrations
Spring has sprung and that means it’s time to get outside and experience all that is budding in nature. That also means it’s time for the first-ever Fe Fi Fo FunFest and Fe Fi Fo Run on Saturday, May 18.
Step into the world of Forest Giants and woodland faeries from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bernheim’s Fe Fi Fo FunFest. The spring celebration includes nature discovery stations, construction of the faerie village, a costume parade, giant tree giveaways, local food trucks, Isaac’s Café offerings and more. Bullitt County high school students will present a research showcase, including a catapult launch. Garden gnomes, prairie sprites, cave wizards, and other whimsical creatures also welcome. A $10 per-car environmental impact fee applies for non-members.
And don’t miss the Fe Fi Fo Run that morning starting at 8 a.m. Join Bernheim as participants race through Bernheim’s Giant Forest to find the Forest Giants. The Fe Fi Fo Run will consist of a 5K and 10K race, which will journey to all three Giants. Families and kids can participate in the 1-mile Fun Run, which will visit one of the Giants. Cost is $35 for the 5K, $45 for the 10K and $10 for the 1-mile Family Fun Run and includes a Fe Fi Fo Run t-shirt for participants of the 10K and 5K, and a Fe Fi Fo Run drawstring backpack for the Fun Run participants.
That’s just the beginning of the great family fun available at Bernheim in May. Details on all of May’s other programs and activities are below:
Lunch & Learn: Gardening for Butterflies
Meet Volunteer Naturalist Corinne Mastey on Wednesday, May 1, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Visitor Center to learn how to garden and landscape in a way that will help butterflies flourish. Butterfly-friendly gardens include not only nectar-rich flowers, but also host plants for caterpillars and other landscape features to help attract and nourish these beautiful insects.
Bernheim Lunch & Learn programs are designed for those who enjoy spending time outdoors in the company of other adults who love learning about nature. Each program includes group introductions, a short-themed hike, and a fabulous lunch from Isaac’s Café. The lunch menu can be found at Bernheim.org.
Registration and payment are due by 4 p.m. on the day prior to the program. Please call (502) 955-8512 or visit Bernheim.org to register. The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.
ECO Kids Discovery Days
The E-C-O stands for Every Child Outside, and that’s exactly where kids can be found during ECO Kids Discovery Days. Discovery Days usually take place the first and third Saturday of each month, but there will be only one in May due to the Fe Fi Fo Fun Fest falling on the third Saturday. Discovery Days take place at Bernheim’s Visitor Center and include:
On Your Own Challenge from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Discovery Stations from 1 – 4 p.m.
Hike of the Day led by a Bernheim guide, starts at the Visitor Center at 2 p.m. and runs 45 to 60 minutes.
On Saturday, May 4, join Bernheim for an exciting Journey to the Giants. Children will hike to find all three of the Forest Giants in our Giant Forest and complete an activity booklet in the On Your Own Challenge! Kids and their families will have fun visiting with the giants, exploring hands-on Discovery Stations and the Hike of the Day during the afternoon.
For details on ECO Kids Discovery Days, call (502) 955-8512. Discovery Day events are free, but a $10 per car donation is suggested for non-members.
Pollywog Play Party
Bernheim’s youngest visitors are invited to explore Giants and Faeries at the Pollywog Play Party on Saturday, May 4, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Education Center. Pollywogs will enter a world of imagination and wonder as they explore at the feet of the Forest Giants. Activities include dressing like faeries and gnomes, building fairy homes, writing magic poems and more. Pollywog Play Parties combine music, art, language and outside play to encourage infants and children through the age of five to learn about nature.
Registration is required by 4 p.m. on the day prior to program by calling (502) 955-8512 or visiting Bernheim.org. The cost is $10 per child for Bernheim members and $15 per child for non-members. There is no fee for adults, but they must accompany children.
First Sunday Nature Hike
Join a Bernheim Volunteer Naturalist at the Visitor Center on Sunday, May 5, from 2 to 3 p.m. for an engaging 45-60 minute nature walk. Registration is not required for this free event, and all ages are welcome. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes.
Forest Homeschool Hike: Journey to the Giants
On Wednesday, May 8, from 1 to 2 p.m., Bernheim is offering opportunities for homeschool families and co-ops to join Bernheim educators for an afternoon of learning, exercising and adventure. Appropriate for grades K-5, each Forest Homeschool Hike will include a short lesson followed by a hike that will bring the lesson to life.
Registration and payment are required by 4 p.m. on the day prior to the program. Call (502) 955-8512 or visit Bernheim.org to reserve a spot. The cost for Bernheim members is $5 a student and $7 a student for non-members. There is no fee for adults, and children must be accompanied by an adult.
Bernheim at Night
Bernheim at Night programs provide ample opportunities to marvel at the moon, ponder distant planets and be awed by the vastness of space. Something new yet ancient appears in the heavens and on earth with each turn of the season.
Quarter Moon Hike
The Quarter Moon Hike on Saturday, May 11, from 9 to 11 p.m. includes a trek through Bernheim’s holly collection, around the Olmsted Ponds to the Earth Measure sculpture, and into the Big Prairie.
Full “Blue Flower” Moon Hike
Join Bernheim on Saturday, May 18, from 8:45 to 10:45 p.m. for a full moon hike. Full Moon programs weave together stories about night ecology, moon lore, history and the magic of nature at night.
Creatures of the Night: Frogs and Toads
Spring is an opera, complete with throaty vocals, high-pitched vibratos, and an expert cast of creatures, each playing its part in this ancient drama. Journey via van into sections of Bernheim where crepuscular and nocturnal creatures are most active, from 8:30 to 11 p.m. on Friday, May 24.
All Bernheim at Night programs are for ages 8 and up, and the cost is $10 for members and $12 for non-members.
Groups meet at the Garden Pavilion unless otherwise noted in the event description. Registration and payment are required by 4 p.m. on the day prior to the program. Call (502) 955-8512 or visit Bernheim.org to reserve a spot. Space is limited for events and pets are not allowed.
Wildflower Walk
A great way to learn about spring wildflowers is to follow their progression from bud to blossom over several weeks. Join Bernheim for a Wildflower Walk on Saturday, May 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. beginning in the Visitor Center. The walk will feature engaging stories that focus on wildflower adaptation, ecology, folklore and history.
Registration and payment required by 4 p.m. on the day prior to the start of the program by calling (502) 955-8512 or visiting Bernheim.org. The cost for the walk is $10 for members and $12 for non-members.
Honeybee Hive Installation
Join the Bernheim Beekeepers on Saturday, May 11, from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Education Center to welcome 10,000 honeybees to their new home. From the safety of the Wildlife Viewing Room, visitors can watch as the bees are moved from delivery package to hive. Beekeepers will guide visitors through the installation process and provide the fascinating “buzz” about beekeeping efforts at Bernheim.
The program is weather dependent. Participants are encouraged to arrive early, as space fills quicklyfor this free event.
Bernheim: Celebrating 90 years While Looking Towards the Future
Look toward the future with us on Thursday, May 30, from 6 to 7 p.m. with Dr. Mark Wourms, Executive Director of Bernheim Forest, and Tom Block, great-grandson of Isaac Wolfe Bernheim and immediate past President of the Bernheim Board. Wourms and Block will discuss Mr. Bernheim’s story, his vision for the land he purchased in thanks to the people of Kentucky, and the mission, goals and development of Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest. As Bernheim celebrates its 90th anniversary, they will also address the exciting plans for the future of Bernheim.
This event is hosted by the Filson Historical Society and will be held at Oxmoor Farm, 720 Oxmoor Avenue in Louisville. This event is free for Filson and Bernheim members and is $10 for non-members. Bernheim members can use the code FILSON to receive the discount. Call 502-635-5083 or visit filsonhistorical.org for information.
A $10 per-car donation is suggested at the gate for non-members.