COMMUNITY EVENTS
Dunes Learning Center holds year-round overnight field trips and summer camp, and we are usually not open to the public— with the exception of our community events!
Please join us for workshops, hikes, guest speakers, and casual gatherings in Indiana Dunes National Park throughout the year. Events will be posted on this page as they are confirmed, and we ask that our guests register prior to attending.
Hope to see you here soon!
Looking for events for babies ages 0-3? Click here!
America at 250: The Revolutionary Stories of our Backyard
July 19th, 1:30-3:30pm at DLC
Cost: $5
Listen to local expert and author Ken Schoon discuss how the Midwest transformed from a French territory into the American frontier. Join us for a fast-paced journey through the Revolutionary War in our own backyard!
You’ll hear the wild stories of George Rogers Clark’s daring captures, the "accidental" taking of Fort St. Joseph, and the local clash known as the Battle of the Petit Fort.
Earth Systems: A Great Lakes Perspective
July 31st - August 1st 2026
Check-in begins at 8:45 a.m. on 7/31 and the workshop concludes at 4 p.m. on 8/1. 12 PGP Points
Cost: $50 - includes room and board for one night at Dunes Learning Center.
Scholarships are available to ensure cost is not a barrier to participation. Contact: Erin Crofton at ecrofton@duneslearningcenter.org with your inquiry.
Join Project WET for this multi-day professional learning workshop, where educators explore the vital role of water in Earth’s systems, with a focus on the Great Lakes, through engaging, hands-on experiences. Participants take part in over a dozen interactive lessons while building confidence in using the curriculum from an instructional perspective. The workshop also highlights connections to Common Core and NGSS standards and introduces regional resources and opportunities that support place-based learning and environmental stewardship.
Build Your Own Screech Owl Box
September 26th, 10am-12pm at Dunes Learning Center
Cost: $50 - includes pieces to create box.
Join us for a hands-on workshop in the world of wood by building a Screech Owl box, led by craftsman Paul Labovitz and learn more about cavity nesting wildlife such as squirrels, saw-whet owls, and American Kestrels. At the end of the workshop, each attendee will go home with their very own hand-crafted bird box for the Screech Owls in their neighborhood, and the skills to make another box in the future!
No previous woodworking skills required (but it helps)! Participants may bring their own power driver and power drill if preferred, but we will have some available for use.
New! For ages 0-5
Join our team of environmental educators at the Trojan Early Learning Center in Chesterton each month, and on our campus at DLC, in partnership with the Duneland Early Learning Hub!
More events coming soon, check this page for updates!
Missed it? Catch the video!
Guest Speaker: Plant Communities of Indiana
Saturday, January 24 - Virtual
VIEW VIDEO HERE
We all know that the dunes are special, but what other unique areas exist across the state?
Join Wyatt Williams, plant community ecologist with the IDNR Natural Heritage program, to visit all corners of Indiana to see what important natural areas have been preserved.
This guest speaker event is provided free of charge courtesy of the Indiana Department of Wildlife.
Arts activities made possible by the Indiana Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Dunes Learning Center events are supported by our 2026 Corporate Event Sponsors, including BP America, Cleveland Cliffs, Franklin Pest Solutions, Friends of Indiana Dunes, Keramida Inc., Mark J. Mihalo Family Dentistry, NIPSCO, Shinka Sustainability Consultants, and Wickcraft Boardwalks.
