An artist, naturalist, educator who wrote the column “Gone for the Day” for the Pennsylvania Game Commission? If you answered Jeopardy-style, “Who is Ned Smith,” you’d be correct. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Ned Smith Center, founded in 1993 to celebrate the life and the legacy of nationally recognized wildlife artist, naturalist and writer, Ned Smith.
“Ned Smith created thousands of drawings and paintings of wildlife based on his long hours exploring and chronicling what he saw in the rivers and creeks and along the back roads and trails of Pennsylvania,” Steve Quigley, the Center’s executive director, explained.
“These adventures led to a storied relationship with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, where Ned served as staff illustrator. His art appeared on more than 120 issues of Pennsylvania Game News magazine, and his column, “Gone for the Day,” became one of the magazine’s most beloved features, and has morphed into a popular book of the same name.”
The Center, the ultimate homage to Smith, is 30 minutes north from the clatter of Harrisburg, but seemingly a world apart, offering a tranquil outdoor experience on more than 500 acres of rustic beauty. With 12 miles of trails and stunning views of the river from the mountaintop, the land is home to the variety of wildlife Ned Smith immortalized—namely, deer, bear, wild turkey, grouse, fox.
To celebrate the anniversary and the legacy of Smith, the Ned Smith Center Nature and Arts Festival will be held on July 27 at MYO Park in Millersburg. It will boast 70-plus programs covering a huge range of topics and an extensive lineup of arts, crafts and food vendors. Best of all, this family-oriented event is free to the public. I asked John D. Laskowski, also known as “The Mothman,” about this year’s highlights.
“Music this year will be provided by Lonesome Meadow, an award-winning bluegrass band out of Ohio,” Laskowski said. “And we’ll feature programs on owls, honeybees, butterflies, native plants, natural history and some great dog programs, including the nationally recognized disc dogs, the Summit Search and Rescue bloodhounds and the Susquehanna Service Dogs.”
Rita Gahres, a long-time volunteer, coordinates the youth activities at the festival. “The Youth Pavilion will be in full swing,” Gahres said. “We’ll have fish print T-shirts, face painting and a visit from Smokey Bear. Also, families can walk among live butterflies fluttering about in an incredible exhibit from Folk’s Family Farm out of Luzerne County.”
But when it comes to family-friendly activities, the Youth Pavilion is really just the beginning. “Almost all of the programs and activities are great for all ages,” Gahres continued, “giving everyone something to discover. For example, the main stage will feature a kids-friendly presentation by one of the community’s favorites, ZooAmerica.”
During the festival, a free shuttle will be available to transport attendees between the festival site at MYO Park and the Ned Smith Center, said Quigley. Programs at the Center this year will include special hummingbird banding demonstrations by naturalist and author Scott Weidensaul and a free tour of the Center’s two galleries.
If you prefer your transportation more old-timey, two ferries—the Roaring Bull and the Falcon III—will traverse the Susquehanna River between Millersburg and Liverpool, offering passengers a leisurely sojourn across the river. These historic vessels, which operate May through October, are the only all-wooden, double-paddle, stern-wheel ferry boats left in the United States.
“Depending on river depth,” Laskowski said, “the ferries will be operating during the festival and will be home to four festival programs: Scott Weidensaul on ‘Birds of the Susquehanna,’ Terry Neumeyer on ‘Waterfowl of the Susquehanna,’ and live musical performances by The Rough Edges String Band and Sweet Life Music.”
“All of the programs,” Quigley added, “have the goal of bringing our audiences to the intersection of nature and the arts. The diversity of our programming extends the boundless curiosity of our namesake and represents the broad range of our stakeholders’ interests.”
Don Helin published his first thriller, “Thy Kingdom Come,” in 2009. His second thriller, “Devil’s Den,” has been selected as a finalist in the Indie Book Awards. Don lives in central Pennsylvania. Contact him at www.donhelin.com.
GOING THERE
Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699
Gallery and Gift Shop Hours
Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ned Smith Center Nature and Arts Festival
July 27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Located at MYO Park, Route 147, Millersburg.
Free admission. Complete list of programs at www.nedsmithcenter.org.
Millersburg Ferry
Check website for rates and hours.
