Vole Fest: A day of desert celebration
Vole Fest is returning to rural California on March 21 for a day full of commemorating the desert environment, its species, and all of its beautiful life.
“Vole Fest is our way of celebrating this special place, raising awareness about conservation in the Amargosa Basin, and bringing visitors and residents together for a fun and educational experience,” reads a press release.
Vole Fest is hosted by Friends of the Amargosa Basin, a conservation organization based in Shoshone, California.
“This is our third year doing it and it’s evolved as a concept, but it [Vole Fest] celebrates the Amargosa Vole, which is a species of small mammal that lives only in Shoshone and Tecopa, California, in these little isolated marshes and nowhere else on Earth,” Friends of the Amargosa Basin Executive Director Cameron Mayer explained.
This year’s Vole Fest theme is “Celebrating Desert Communities.”
“We wanted to celebrate life in the desert,” Mayer told the Pahrump Valley Times. “Whether it’s a small mammal, bird or a person, we’re all part of the same community in the desert and we all depend on each other.”
The day-long event is split into three sections. “Morning Field Excursions” from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. will be at the Shoshone and Tecopa Wetlands located at 22 CA-178, Shoshone, California.
“Explore the Shoshone and Tecopa wetlands at designated stations, learn about desert life, habitat change and restoration, and scientific study in action,” states the press release.
Comfortable walking shoes, a hat, water, sunglasses, cameras, binoculars, and a picnic lunch to enjoy after the activity are all encouraged items to bring for this section.
“Afternoon Festivities” from 1 to 3 p.m. will be held at the Tecopa Community Center at 400 Tecopa Hot Springs Road, Tecopa, California. Activities during this portion include educational tables, photo opportunities, prize giveaways, snacks, refreshments, and talks from vole scientists and local wildlife experts.
The last section of the day will be a “Star Party” from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in collaboration with the Las Vegas Astronomical Society held at the Shoshone Campground and RV Park located at 22 CA-178, Shoshone, California.
During this section participants will be able to look into the desert night sky filled with stars through powerful telescopes.
For this activity, attendees are encouraged to check the weather ahead of time to dress appropriately. Also, it’s advised to make dinner plans ahead of time, since capacity at local restaurants may be limited due to busy spring weekends.
Vole Fest is open to all ages and free to attend, but donations to Friends of the Amargosa Basin are always appreciated.
For more information about Vole Fest and Friends of the Amargosa Basin, visit friendsoftheamargosabasin.org.
Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com
Vole Fest on Saturday, March 21 is free to attend for all ages. The event is split into three sections.
Morning Field Excursions: Shoshone and Tecopa Wetlands located at 22 CA-178, Shoshone, California. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Meet at the Shoshone marsh trail adjacent to the campground and pool.
Afternoon Festivities: Tecopa Community Center at 400 Tecopa Hot Springs Road, Tecopa, California. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Star Party: Shoshone Campground and RV Park located at 22 CA-178, Shoshone, California. 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Meet in the field at the north end of the campground close to the office building. Signage and lighting will direct to the event space, parking, and nearby restrooms.
