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!
Flocking Together with Project WILD and Project Learning Tree
Saturday, May 16, 8:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. 6 PGP Points
Cost: $35 - includes a hot lunch Scholarships are available to ensure cost is not a barrier to participation. Contact: Erin Crofton at ecrofton@duneslearningcenter.org with your inquiry.
Join Indiana’s Project WILD and Project Learning Tree programs for an immersive learning experience set against the stunning backdrop of Indiana Dunes National Park during Indiana Dunes Birding Festival weekend, a peak time for spring bird migration. Participating educators will deepen their understanding of Indiana’s bird diversity, engage in hands-on educational activities, and connect with place-based resources that make learning come alive for elementary and middle school students.
Summer Solstice Stretch
June 21st, 6-9pm at DLC
Cost: $60
Join us on Sunday, June 21 to celebrate both the Summer Solstice and the International Day of Yoga, when we will nurture community and a deeper connection with nature. On this longest day of the year, we will have a rejuvenating yoga practice inside Indiana Dunes National Park, a stunning backdrop of towering sand dunes, oak savannas, and prairie land, where summer invites us to embrace life outdoors. Our yoga practice will be followed by a reception where we can learn about each other and a bit about Dunes Learning Center.
Yoga led by Sandy Pause Yoga.
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 DLC
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 2025 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.
