Opt Outside — our annual open house-style, free family event — returns on Black Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 at Thompson County Park. This year's theme is "Where You Belong." Become a Neighborhood Naturalist with activities for all ages. Discover how you and nature belong together in an ecosystem right in your backyard.
Location
When you arrive, head to the Dakota Lodge and look for the event information station. Each station includes signs with individual activity instructions and take-along guides.
Activities
- Neighborhood Naturalist Activity Trail: Search the activity trail around Thompson Lake for friendly looking creatures, critters and people just like you. The littlest kids will love this stroller-friendly scavenger hunt, searching along a paved trail. A Bingo Sheet Treasure Map will be your guide. All ages (especially fun for ages 6 and younger).
- Backyard Expert Geocaching Hunt: Search for multiple caches to learn about animals local to Minnesota and become a backyard expert. All ages (especially fun for ages 5 and older). Participants must provide their own smartphone with geocaching app or GPS unit for geocaching activity.
- Where You Belong Medallion Hunt: Solve clever riddles in our medallion hunt to find the “medallion" hidden somewhere in the park. All ages (especially for ages 10 and older). Riddles will be posted on Facebook, on the Opt Outside event page Nov. 27-29. One riddle will be posted each day at noon Wednesday, Nov. 27-Friday, Nov. 29. Clues will be available in both English and Spanish.
Medallion finders must post a selfie near the location of the find to the Dakota County Parks - forever wild Facebook page and call the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center at 651-554-6530 to report their find. A fantastic prize package goes to the winner!
Date
Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Age
All ages
Admission
Free
Food available
Brick Oven Bus Pizza