2025 Dark Sky Festival
Discover the Dark at the eleventh annual Dark Sky Festival from September 12-14th, 2025.
Join us for the 12th Annual Dark Sky Festival, presented by the Sequoia Parks Conservancy and National Park Service. This acclaimed festival in Central California will unfold in the breathtaking settings of the parks, including the Foothills, Giant Forest, Lodgepole, and Grant Grove.
September 11, 2025
The Cosmic Dawn: The Untold Story of the James Webb Space Telescope
Visalia Fox Theatre - 308 W. Main St. Visalia, CA @ 5:00pm
Free Event to the Public
Join us at the historic Visalia Fox Theater on September 11, 2025, for Cosmic Dawn: The Story of the James Webb Space Telescope. Enjoy a pre-show on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, then experience the documentary on the big screen, followed by a LIVE Q&A WITH THE WEBB TELESCOPE TEAM.
September 12, 2025
Sequoia National Park
The Wings That Hold The Night Sky Together - Giant Forest Museum from 11:00-11:20am
Sequoia in the Stars - Giant Forest Museum from 2:00-2:20pm
Touch Table - Lodgepole Plaza from 3:00-4:00pm
When Darkness Falls - Lodgepole Amphitheater from 7:30-8:30pm
The Wonders of Dark Skies: Astrophotography. Astronomy, Light Pollution and Prevention - Beetle Rock Education Center from 8:00pm-10:00pm
Why Stargazing Matters: Naked Eye Astronomy Program - Wuksachi Lodge from 8:30-9:30pm
Kings Canyon National Park
Sun Zone! - Grant Village from 12:00-4:00pm
Meet Alan (Artificial Light at Night) - Bradley Meadow from 6:00-6:30pm
Night Hike and Naked Eye Astronomy Program - Panoramic Point from 8:00-9:30pm
September 13, 2025
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia in the Stars - Giant Forest Museum from 11:00-11:20am
Cosmic Fireworks: How Astronomers Explore the Changing Sky - Wuksachi Lodge in the Alta Room from 1:00-2:00pm
Birds and the Night Sky - Beetle Rock Education Center from 1:00-2:00pm
Sun Zone! - Lodgepole Plaza from 12:00-4:00pm
Our Fascination with the Night Sky - Giant Forest Museum from 2:00-2:20pm
Unveiling the Secrets of our Universe through its First Light - Wuksachi Lodge in the Alta Room from 2:00-3:00pm
The Darkest Night: A Story About What Thrives When There's No Light - Beetle Rock Education Center from 2:00-3:00pm
Touch Table - Lodgepole Plaza from 3:00-4:00pm
The Making of a Star and Her Entourage - Wuksachi Lodge in the Alta Room from 3:00-4:00pm
From Galileo to Smart Telescopes - Beetle Rock Education Center from 3:00-4:00pm
Ask An Astrophysicist: Panel - Lodgepole Amphitheater from 6:00-7:00pm
Keynote Address: Breaking Cosmic Frontiers with Webb Telescope - Lodgepole Amphitheater from 7:30-8:30pm
September 14, 2025
Sequoia National Park
Constellation Yoga: From the Stars to the Mat - Beetle Rock Education Center from 9:00-10:00am
The Wings That Hold The Night Sky Together - Giant Forest Museum from 2:00-2:20pm
Touch Table - Lodgepole Plaza from 3:00-4:00pm
The Flip of a Coin - Lodgepole Amphitheater from 7:30-8:30pm
How The James Webb Telescope Navigates space & Time - Wuksachi Lodge in the Alta Room from 7:30-8:30pm
Why Stargazing Matters: The Naked Eye Astronomy Program - Wuksachi Lodge from 8:30-9:30pm
Kings Canyon National Park<
