Fern Hollow Nature Center

Junior Explorers
2026-04-30 13:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Ohio Township Nature Center, 325 Nicholson Road, sewickley, PA, 15143, United States
The 6-week drop-off program for bathroom-independent pre-schoolers ages 3-6 starts March 25th, 2026. All sessions will take place at The Ohio Township Community Park at 325 Nicholson Rd, Sewickley, PA 15143, while we prepare for our renovation. A generous grant from the Union Aid Society is available to provide financial assistance to Quaker Valley School District residents in need.
Each week of Explorers is a unique blend of hikes, nature lessons, and play that also foster early learning skills using the natural world, but with content geared towards older Preschool and Kindergarten-aged children. All explorers must be fully bathroom independent.
Children should come dressed according to the weather, bring a reusable water bottle, and a nut-free snack. Different variations of this program are offered throughout the year, providing unique experiences tailored to the changing seasons.
Register Here!

Fiddlehead Homeschool
2026-05-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Walker Park, 520 Little Sewickley Creek Rd, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
End of Year Celebration

Celebrate the end of the 2025-2026 Fiddlehead Homeschool Club year with us at Walker Park!

Fern Hollow at the YMCA
2026-05-08 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-05-19 13:00 - 15:00 | The Y, 625 Blackburn Road, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
Fern Hollow is excited to announce our partnership with the Sewickley YMCA. Our educators will provide 2 hours of nature-based programming at the Y on this Quaker Valley in-service days from 1:00-3:00pm.
The program is intended for grades K–5th.
Contact the YMCA to register!
Click Here For More Information!

Quaker Valley Creekers Middle School
2026-05-13 15:00 - 16:30
End of Year Wrap Up
Quaker Valley Middle School Room 308
3:05-4:40pm

Crazy Carnivorous Plants (Adults & Kids aged 12+ with Adult)
2026-05-13 18:30 - 20:00 | Sewickley Heights History Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | 6:30-8:00 PM
Discover the wild world of carnivorous plants! These amazing plants have to fight to survive in habitats where most plants would struggle. From Venus flytraps that snap shut in a fraction of a second to pitcher plants that lure insects with sweet nectar, we’ll uncover the clever tricks these plants use to catch and digest their prey. Learn how to care for and take home your own carnivorous plant to nurture and grow.
Member Fee: $16/person
Public Fee: $20/person
Register Here!

Sewickley Valley Geo-Trail Challenge
2026-06-06 - 2026-06-13 | Henle Park (Victory Garden of Leetsdale), 505 Beaver St, Leetsdale, Pennsylvania, 15056
What’s better than spending time in one of our local greenspaces for National Get Outdoors Day? How about exploring up to 5 different parks over a week, with a chance to win some awesome prizes! Fern Hollow Nature Center and Sewickley Public Library, with support from our local parks and communities, are proud to present the Sewickley Valley Geo-Trail! Are you up for the challenge?
How to participate:

Get the family or a group of friends together
Get an official Sewickley Valley Geotrail passport (available at fhnc.org or at SPL starting on Monday June 1st.)
Download the Geocaching app for free
From Saturday June 6th through Saturday June 13th, participants have a week to find each cache located in Henle Park, Mary Roberts Rinehart Park, Sewickley Heights Borough Park, Walker Park and War Memorial Park, and stamp their passport.
Passports returned to SPL by the 13th with 3 or more caches found will be entered into a drawing for several prizes, including the grand prize of 4 Free General Admission passes to Fern Hollow’s Fall Music Festival!

Included parks:

Henle Park
Mary Roberts Rinehart Park
Sewickley Heights Borough Park
Walker Park
War Memorial Park

Register Here!

Rock Gardening & Hypertufa Container Construction
2026-06-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Sewickley Heights History Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
Get introduced to the art of rock gardening and learn how to craft beautiful, lightweight hypertufa containers that showcase alpine and drought-tolerant plants. This hands-on workshop blends horticulture, design, and creativity, giving you the knowledge and skills to build your own container alpine garden.
Members Fee: $20
Public Fee: $26
REGISTRATION HERE

Saddle Up: Summer Soiree
2026-06-12 17:30 - 22:00 | The Sewickley Quarter, 545 Beaver St, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
Friday, June 12 · Sewickley Quarter
VIP Reception: 5:30-6:30pm · Event: 6:30-10:00pm
Our fundraising event of the year is coming up! Join us for the annual Summer Soiree, a chic cocktail party for 150 people at Sewickley Quarter in downtown Sewickley. This year’s event theme is Saddle Up, featuring Western themed activities, entertainment, dancing and delicious food and drink.
Support the Nature Center and join the community for a boot-scootin’ good time!
Reserve Your Tickets!

Family Composting Workshop
2026-06-27 09:00 - 11:00 | Fern Hollow Nature Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Road, sewickley, PA, 15143, United States
Saturday, June 27
9:00-11:00 AM
FHNC Garden
Cost Per Family: $18/member, $30/non-member
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Turn kitchen scraps and yard waste into garden treasure! In this hands-on workshop, kids and adults will explore composting and vermiculture — learning how to build a healthy compost pile and how to raise worms that supercharge your soil.
Get your hands dirty with Cam and Janel in the FHNC Garden as we cover:

The “recipe” for great compost: what to add (and what not to!)
Meet the decomposers: worms, bacteria, and fungi that do the real work
Troubleshooting a compost pile (too smelly? too dry?)
How to properly use finished compost

Register Here!

Nature & Nurture Hike Summer 2026
2026-06-29 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-07-27 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-08-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Bell Acres Nature Trail
6/29: Bell Acres Nature Trail
7/27: Walker Park
8/24: War Memorial Park
The natural world provides so many opportunities, even for our “littlest explorers,” for discovery, imagination and problem-solving, as well as possible health advantages such as motor-skill development, improved immunity & regulation of sleep-wake cycles. In this new series of guided hikes, we are excited to share all of these benefits with children up to age 5 and a caretaker.
We will explore some of our community’s amazing parks! Terrain will range from easy to moderate, and total length will be determined by the participants, as these are geared to be child-led.
There will be story time and craft making to conclude our hike.
*All children must be accompanied by an adult*
Specific directions and meeting locations will be given to participants after registration.

Member Fee
$6 / session for 1 caregiver and up to 2 children

Public Fee
$9 / session for 1 caregiver and up to 2 children

Register Here!

Mushroom Walk with ALT
2026-07-08 17:00 - 20:00 | Sewickley Heights History Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
Join ALT staff and WPMC Identifier Julie Travaglini for a mushroom talk, walk and ID table at Fern Hollow Nature Center.
We will start with an introduction to the Kingdom of Fungi with an indoor learning session, followed by an outdoor mushroom hunt. This is not a traditional guided hike; after the indoor introduction, attendees will be looking for mushrooms on their own before reconvening for an ID table and discussion at the end. As this hike is beginner-friendly, we will be using the mushrooms common names and looking at distinguishing features to begin identifying mushrooms.
We will not be foraging on this hike or discussing edibility. Foraging for mushrooms can be risky, and it is never safe to eat a wild mushroom unless an expert confirms the identity.
$10 per person
Hike runs rain or shine. No walk-ins will be permitted.
Register Here!

Flora & Fauna Hike at SHBP (Adults & Families)
2026-07-10 09:00 - 10:30 | Sewickley Heights History Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
Join FHNC Naturalist, Janel and Environmental Educator, Sam for an easy hike through Sewickley Heights Borough Park. Learn more about the plants and animals of our area. From the meadows to the woods, discover how both the flora and fauna change throughout the park.
Member Fee; $7
Public Fee: $10
Register Here!

Birds of the Creek
2026-07-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Walker Park
Join Mr. Sam at Walker Park to learn about the amazing and vibrant birds that inhabit our local creek ecosystem. We will be looking for herons, kingfishers, warblers, and many more. Be sure to bring your binoculars and shoes to wear in the creek! Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Members: $7
Public: $10
Register Here!

Family Bird Hike
2026-07-18 09:00 - 10:30 | Fern Hollow Nature Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Road, sewickley, PA, 15143, United States
Join Cassie and Janel for a family bird hike at Sewickley Heights Borough Park. Cassandra Ziegler is a PhD student in Pittsburgh studying birds and their ecology, with a focus on what birds eat and how they use different habitats. She loves sharing her enthusiasm for birds with others and enjoys helping people of all experience levels learn and feel more confident exploring and identifying the birds around them. Registration Required.
Register Here!

Firefly Fun Night
2026-07-31 19:30 - 21:00 | Ohio Township Nature Center, 325 Nicholson Road, sewickley, PA, 15143, United States
As the sun sets, join us for a fun evening of discovery! Kids will learn all about the fascinating world of PA’s state insect – the firefly; how and why they glow, their unique life cycle, and the important part they play in nature. Participants will also have a chance to make a hands-on craft before ending the night exploring and observing these glowing insects for themselves!
Register Here!

Family Gardening Workshop
2026-08-01 09:00 - 11:00 | Fern Hollow Nature Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Road, sewickley, PA, 15143, United States
This fun, interactive gardening class is designed for families with children of all ages who want to learn the basics of summer gardening and harvesting.
In this class, families will explore what’s thriving in the FHNC garden, from sun-loving tomatoes and watermelon to vibrant cutting flowers and herbs.
Through hands-on activities, kids and adults alike will learn how plants grow, how to care for them, and how to harvest what they’ve worked hard to tend.
Get your hands dirty with Cam and Janel in the FHNC Garden as we cover:
– Summer pruning, thinning, and plant care
– Watering, weeding, and keeping pests away naturally
– Harvesting tips and what to do with your homegrown bounty
– Soil basics and the importance of composting
Register Here!

Art with Plants!
2026-08-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Sewickley Heights History Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
Explore the artistic potential of the natural world in this hands-on botanical art class. We’ll try three techniques: cyanotype printing, which harnesses sunlight to create striking blue-and-white botanical impressions; plant pounding, which transfers a plant’s natural pigments and form directly onto paper; and plant pressing, to create beautiful preserved specimens you can display or use in future projects.
Leave with a collection of unique, nature-made artwork and the skills to keep creating at home. All materials provided.
$16/member
$20/non-member
Register Here!

Fiddlehead Homeschool (K-4th Grade): Welcome and Stream Study
2026-08-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Walker Park – Shelter #3, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, 15143
For the past 10 years, Fern Hollow has offered nature-based learning experiences for homeschoolers. Our science programs encourage kids to get outside and explore nature through hands-on, engaging activities.

To cultivate a sense of community and allow for students to develop meaningful social connections, homeschool families are invited to stay and have lunch on the grounds after dismissal. Bring a picnic or snack and explore.

Register Here!

Fiddlehead Homeschool (5th-8th Grade): Welcome and Watersheds 101
2026-08-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Walker Park – Shelter #3, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, 15143

Wildflower Meadows
2026-09-08 18:30 - 20:00 | Sewickley Heights History Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
In this beginner-friendly class, discover how wildflower meadows increase biodiversity; supporting native bees, butterflies, birds, and the countless species that depend on open, flowering landscapes. We’ll cover practical strategies for starting your own meadow and managing a meadow through the seasons with surprisingly little effort. Included in this class, is a guided walk through Fern Hollow’s stunning 20-acre wildflower meadow, where you’ll see these principles in action and observe the remarkable wildlife it supports.
$7/member $10/non-member
Register Here!

Fiddlehead Homeschool (K-4th Grade): Entomology 101 for Kids
2026-09-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Fern Hollow Nature Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Road, sewickley, PA, 15143, United States

Fiddlehead Homeschool (5th-8th Grade): Stream Health
2026-09-18 14:00 - 16:00 | Walker Park – Shelter #3, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, 15143

Family Fishing 2026
2026-09-26 09:00 - 11:00 | Esmark Field (Bouchard Family Park), 1857 Camp Meeting Rd,, Sewickley,, Pennsylvania, 15143, United States
Family Fishing
July 25 • Aug 22 • Sept 26
9am-11am | King’s Lake
Slow life down with the family this summer at Fern Hollow’s Family Fishing programs! Fern Hollow will provide bait, rods and instruction from our educators and volunteers. Enjoy the simplicity of family time outdoors without the stress of planning!
Address will be sent via email after registration. Parking is available at Esmark Field. This event is sponsored by The Sewickley Valley Conservation Association (FKA Sewickley Shooting and Fishing Club) and Fern Hollow Nature Center.
Not fishing? Come for free!

Member Fee: $40 for a family of four; $10 per Individual

Public Fee: $60 for a family of four; $15 per Individual

Register Here!

Fall Hike
2026-10-13 17:30 - 19:00 | Sewickley Heights Borough Park, Hallaway Road, Sewickley, 15143
Location: Sewickley Heights Borough Park (meet in the main parking lot)
Join FHNC Naturalist Janel and Environmental Educator Sam for an easy autumn hike through Sewickley Heights Borough Park. A perfect way to get outside and explore seasonal changes in both flora and fauna during one of our most beautiful seasons.
$7/member
$10/non-member
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Fiddlehead Homeschool (K-4th Grade): Funky Fungi
2026-10-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Fern Hollow Nature Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Road, sewickley, PA, 15143, United States

Fiddlehead Homeschool (5th-8th Grade): Native Trees of Pennsylvania
2026-10-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Walker Park – Shelter #3, 1901 Glen Mitchell Rd, Sewickley, 15143

Fall Music Festival 2026
2026-10-17 16:00 - 21:00 | Fern Hollow Nature Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Road, sewickley, PA, 15143, United States
Save the date for the biggest event of the fall, our Fall Music Festival. With food trucks, kid’s activities, music and more, this is a family favorite every year. This year, No Bad Juju will be performing!
Learn More!
