Come see snakes, tortoises and more at the Reptile Fest this weekend
There will be a little something different about Reptile Fest this year.
“We will also be celebrating Earth Day, so there will be more than ever,” said Lauren Johnson, education program manager for Columbus State University’s Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center.
The annual event is a major fundraiser for the facility on South Lumpkin Road in Columbus.
Reptile Fest is Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and admission is $5. Bring cash.
Johnson said visitors will be able to get close-up with an array of snakes, lizards and tortoises. There will even be a python. And, of course, an alligator.
Kids can come dressed as their favorite reptile and participate in the Hiss America Contest.
To help celebrate Earth Day, there will be a native plant sale. Visitors will be able to build hummingbird feeders. They will also be able to paint furniture for Habitat for Humanity.
There will be a few programs, including one about water conservation.
There will also be numerous vendors with their crafts.
Historic Westville, which is moving to Columbus, will have a representative at the event.
“It is something that is educational and fun for people of all ages,” Johnson said. “It is very popular.”
Opened in 1995 as a collaboration among Columbus Water Works, Columbus State University and the City of Columbus, the center provides exhibits, displays and nature trails and also offers formal and informal programs about the ecology and natural history of the region.
The center includes two classroom laboratories, an 86-seat auditorium, state-of-the-art instructional media, a natural history discovery center, indoor and outdoor exhibits of living reptiles and fish, a stream habitat supporting various plants and animals, a pollinator garden, bee hives and environmental art.
Reptile Fest is a good time to check it all out.
Larry Gierer: 706-571-8581, @lagierer
If you go
What: Reptile Fest
When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Columbus State University’s Oxbow Meadows Learning Center on South Lumpkin Road
Cost: $5
This story was originally published April 18, 2017 at 11:34 AM with the headline "Come see snakes, tortoises and more at the Reptile Fest this weekend."