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Celebrate the year’s longest day and the Summer Solstice in the gardens at Boyce Thompson Arboretum June 21 with extended hours, live music ’til Sunset – and the chance to learn all about Arizona’s most famous venomous nemesis during afternoon scorpion lectures and a nighttime guided walk looking for Scorpions that glow an eerie shade of greenish-yellow beneath hand-held Ultra-Violet blacklights. Events are included with $10 daily admission; read complete details on all events at BTA’s website ag.arizona.edu/bta.
► Meet-the-Artist Reception 3:00-5:00. Florence photographer Roger Degler has a June-July exhibit in BTA’s art gallery – arrive between 3-5pm to meet Roger, see his art and chat about photography during his gallery exhibit opening reception.
► Scorpion Lectures at 3:00; repeats at 4:30. An over-the-top crowd spilled out the lecture room doors last year – so this time BTA repeats this popular lecture twice, hoping to divide Saturday’s audience by halves. If your last name starts with A-L you should attend the 3:00 lecture, and those with names M-Z should attend the 4:30 session when Mesa photographer and scorpion enthusiast Dave Oberpriller reprises his colorful slideshow and insights (“Did you know scorpions give live birth? Or that mama scorpions show their maternal side by carrying their babies on their backs until the little ones able to fend for themselves? Scorpions glow an eerie greenish-yellow under ultraviolet (UV) light, technically called fluorescence” says Oberpriller)
► Live Music 6:00 – 8:00 pm with Silverback. Pack a picnic and invite friends – daily admission of $10 per-person also includes a special Summer Solstice concert starting at 6:00 pm with music by the trio Silverback; guitarist Eric Laubach, percussionist John Mahoney and Native American flute-player and storyteller Loren Russell. Tables will be set up ear the Smith Building for al fresco ‘BYO’ picnic dinner accompanied by an evening of music. Don’t what to cook? BTA members Ron & Tuni will have their Dog Haus hot-dog cart set-up and selling hot-dogs, chips and soda nearby (or call Jade Grill at 520-689-2885 to pre-order one of three tasty salads Chef Lucy Wing will have prepped to sell here onsite: Asian beef noodle, Chinese chicken salad, and Thai chicken)
► Black Light Scorpion Walk 8:00 – 9:30 pm Attend either of Dave Oberpriller’s lectures during the afternoon – enjoy the live music til 8pm, then join Dave, and friends for a guided nighttime walking tour where we’ll look for scorpions and their eerie greenish-yellow fluorescence after dark under ultra-violet light (expect great photos – even on your smartphone!)
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