Community Fishing Derby
Reel in a fun, screen-free day outdoors!
Saturday, August 22nd beginning at 1pm,
join us for a FREE, family-friendly
Community Fishing Derby –
open to all experience levels!
Whether you’re trying it for the first time or you're a seasoned angler, come cast a line, bait a hook, and discover the native fish living in our local waterways!
Free bait & limited loaner rods available or feel free to bring your own!
No fishing license required at
Oak Ridge Prairie County Park!
FREE parking & entry — just mention "Fishing Derby" at the gate!
♻️🌳💚🌍
This program is brought to you in part by the REI Cooperative Action Fund
Join us this season for
Nature-Based Healing
Join us August 14th for our next Sunsets & Sisterhood -- our nature-based healing space designed for women who need a soft place to land and an open sky to exhale. Come as you are to share stories, hold space, and restore your mind, body, and spirit.
Rooted in rest and mental wellness, this intentional gathering is designed to help women pause, breathe, reflect and connect with nature, each other, and yourselves – exploring what it looks like to belong, to be well, to vibe, and just be.
If you’re looking for a place to share your story, or just a quiet spot to listen and belong, there’s a seat on the grass waiting for you. ♻️🌳💚🌍
Thank you to all the beautiful sisters for showing up wholly this past June – gathering in nature to pause, restore, create, reflect, and reconnect, with ourselves, each other, and the Earth.
Together we created an incredible space of belonging, wellness, and authentic connection – with each moment as a reminder of the power of sisterhood – remembering that sometimes the most important thing we can do is show up for each other and simply be. ♻️🌳💚🌍
The BFGS nature-based wellness program is brought to you in part by the
REI Cooperative Action Fund
"An incredible evening of community, wellness, and fella-ship!"
Thank you to all the fellas who chose to show up for yourselves -- wrapping up Men’s MENtal Health Month with us at Trailgate: A Casual Men's Hike & Hangout.
This gathering was a powerful reminder of how much we need spaces like this -- a space where men could genuinely decompress, completely unplug, and be present in the moment -- sharing, laughing and investing in their self-care and mental well-being while connecting over a casual hike and cookout in the solace of nature on the beautiful trails of Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve. ♻️🌳💚🌍
Planet Palooza 2026: One Planet. One People.
focused on our diverse communities and our different experiences while sharing one planet and one responsibility. This Earth Day, we commited to outdoor and environmental solutions that uplifted every person in every community, and left no one behind!
♻️🌳💚🌍
This year's 7th annual Earth Day kickoff at Marquette Park in Gary featured over 20 incredible NW Indiana & Chicagoland organizations sharing their ongoing environmental and conservation efforts through interactive eco-education stations, activities and exhibits!
Click here to help support our programs!
Your donations help us close the nature gap and create opportunities for those who may not otherwise have access to outdoor programs & recreation.
Marquette Beach Shoreline Cleanup
A huge shout of gratitude to all of our Lake Michigan Ambassadors who came out this Spring to help clean up along the Marquette Beach shoreline and help raise awareness about the devastating impact of litter, plastic, and industrial waste on our local waterways and our health. We salute YOU! ♻️🌳💚🌍
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Outdoor Palooza:
An Autumn Outdoor Backyard Festival
What an incredible way to end our 9th season of outdoor programming! Thank you to everyone who joined us for a wonderful afternoon of connecting with nature and community at Outdoor Palooza: An Autumn Outdoor Backyard Festival!
Thank you to all of our remarkable volunteers and guests educators for taking the time to help cultivate this incredible afternoon in the crisp autumn air among the beautiful fall colors. From playing classic outdoor games filled with laughter, to sharing moments of quiet reflection and creativity through mindfulness in nature. It was an extraordinary, screen-free day filled with lots of outdoor joy and community --- inspiring everyone to develop a deeper connection to nature where everyone belongs
♻️🌳💚🌍
Thank you to our 2025 program sponsors!
Canoemobile Voyage on the Lagoon
Thank you to everyone who joined
Brown Faces Green Spaces for our annual sunset Canoemobile Voyage -- changing our local waterways into a place of recreation, learning, community-building, and fun as paddlers sailed the Marquette Lagoon in 24-foot Voyageur Canoes to learn about the science, history, geography, and culture of the Calumet River in Northwest Indiana!
♻️🌳💚🌍
