Events

Nocturnal Family Forays

This program is designed for familys with children and offered during the darkest nights of the year. Guests will be given a UV flashlight to borrow for the duration of the program. One of our guides will take you deep into the swamp (while staying on the boardwalk) to hunt for things that glow in the dark, which can be anything from millipedes to mushrooms and more. All kinds of bright colors such as yellow and teal will appear out of nowhere with the help of the UV lights, and with no moon in the sky there will a better chance to bring out some of the more subtle hues you would never get to see with just your own eyes. What secrets will you find?

This program is intended to be kid friendly and not scary, but we can't promise that some adults won't be afraid!

If you would like to register your family for this program, visit our registration page to see availability and purchase tickets.

Family Foray Schedule for 2024
Adults: $15.00 per person.
Children (12 and under): $7.00 per person.

Family Foray Date Start Time End Time
Saturday, July 6th 8:30 PM 11:00 PM
Saturday, August 3rd 8:00 PM 10:30 PM
Saturday, August 31st 7:30 PM 10:00 PM
Saturday, July 20th 8:30 PM 11:00 PM
Saturday, September 28th 7:00 PM 9:30 PM

Family Foray at Beidler Forest FAQs:

  • No flashlights or other light sources. We will provide you with UV flashlights to use during the event. Please keep cell phone use to a minimum.
  • Cover or turn off smart watches and other devices that produce artificial light.
  • All participants must stay on the boardwalk.
  • No walk-ins. All participants must have a valid reservation.
  • No pets.
  • The boardwalk is ADA accessible. Wheelchairs and battery-operated chairs are welcome.
A millipede is on pine bark, normally it appears a dull brown, but under ultraviolet light it appears bright teal, which something people cannot see on their own.
This millipede glows a bright teal under ultraviolet light despite being a dull brown in normal light. This could be a warning to predators that can see UV light, as many millipedes use poison or taste disgusting as a survival mechanism. Photo: Richard Covey
A round mushroom rises from the leaves, normally it's a pale off white color, but with ultraviolet light it appears as an intense purple with green glowing from within.
Normally mushrooms such as these appear white, but under ultraviolet light they appear pink with a green glow from coming within. Photo: Richard Covey

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