6/9: Great Swamp Great Music Festival

Hartley Farms Polo Field Spring Valley Road, Harding Township, NJ, United States

Gather up your friends and family for an afternoon of live, outdoor music at our 2nd Annual Great Swamp, Great Music Festival. Grab a spot under the tent or in the field, and check out the variety of tasty food, merchandise, and adult beverages for sale by our local vendors. It’s all the ingredients you’ll need for a sensational Sunday afternoon! Your email confirmation serves as your ticket - be sure to print it and bring it along! For more information, click here.   TICKET SALES HAVE ENDED: Please purchase tickets at the gate.

Free – $20.00

6/14: June Moon Hike

Jockey Hollow Visitor Center 600 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ

Explore Jockey Hollow by the full moon in June! Look and listen for owls, bats, fireflies and other nocturnal creatures by the light of a full moon. Later we will relax by a roaring bonfire and hear stories that 18th century colonists told around their own campfires and learn about their views on the darkness. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity with two highly experienced and knowledgeable naturalists, Adam Palmer, GSWA Education Associate, and Eric Olsen, Park Ranger and local historian. Space is limited and it will fill up fast! This hike is free to all GSWA members; a $10 donation is appreciated from non-member adults, $5 for children. Registration is required. Register at GreatSwamp.org or call 973-538-3500. (Image courtesy of ChingChing Tsui CC-BY-2.0)

Sold Out Free – $40.00

6/27: “Sounds of Summer” Invitation Only Hike at the Refuge

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - Bluebird Parking Lot Bluebird Parking Lot, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, NJ, United States

We want to show you our appreciation by taking you on a special behind-the-scenes hike at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. This time of year flowers are in bloom, birds such as red-bellied woodpeckers are nesting everywhere, wood froglets can be seen in mass around the vernal ponds, and we may even spot a red fox. We will be on the lookout for all of this and more. Led by GSWA staffers, you will benefit from their combined wealth of natural history knowledge. Not a member? Become a member now by clicking the "JOIN" button at the top of this page. Then come back and register for the hike. This is your special opportunity to take in all the beauty of the amazing lands that form part of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Management area. Claim your "back stage pass" today! Meet at the Bluebird Parking Lot: GSNWR Bluebird Parking Lot, Intersection of Pleasant Plains Rd. Auto Tour Route & Wood Duck Way, Basking Ridge, NJ. You can plug the following coordinates into your GPS (exactly as you see them): 40.709360, -74.502889  

Sold Out $50.00

Night Sky in July

Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, United States

UPDATE: due to forecasts of 90% cloudcover and inclement weather this event is postponed for a later date.   Please e-mail [email protected] to be informed of the rain-date.  Explore the night sky with GSWA and North Jersey Astronomical Group (NJAG) for a very special late night summertime event. Our guest this evening is Mark Zdziarski of NJAG, who will help facilitate our viewing of the night sky and its constellations. This is a great event for amateurs, seasoned skywatchers, and any curious folks wanting to dip their toe in astronomy.   As the evening darkens, Jupiter and Saturn become more prominent in the Southern sky.  With luck, we will see the dragons and heroes of the Summer sky directly overhead; Serpens, Scorpius, Draco as well as Hercules, Ophiuchus (Asclepius), and Bootes the herdsman.   We will also hopefully witness the sounds and sights of late night wildlife at 568 Tempe Wick Rd. This event is weather permitting - Please be sure to check for updates closer to the event. Tickets are extremely limited. For more information on North Jersey Astronomical Group events, visit NJastro.org and on Facebook at NJAG

Free – $40.00

Caribbean Night at the Swamp

Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, United States

We’re mixing up another exciting night at the Swamp and you’re invited! Join us as we bring you the sights, sounds, and taste of the Caribbean, transporting you from the beautiful New Jersey to an exotic "sandy" beach experience. Enjoy cool beverages and authentic Caribbean islands food, and live music from one of our favorites, Jeff Webb. Get into the island groove by wearing your favorite island or pirate attire for a chance to take home the "best dressed" grand prize that's both functional and eco-friendly. Try your luck at our fishing game (hint: brush up on your environmental facts) for a chance for additional prizes. Come beat the summer heat with a taste of the islands!

Get Tickets Free – $25.00

Hike: Birds, Bees & Fungus

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - Bluebird Parking Lot Bluebird Parking Lot, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, NJ, United States

Grab your binoculars and field guides for a Friday evening hike with our knowledgeable naturalists at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The blue bird parking lot trail offers a variety of habitats and critters to see, including a pair of nesting bald eagles if we're lucky! Summer is in full swing and there are lots of beautiful wildflowers, birds, bugs and mushrooms on full display. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to check them all out and learn a little bit more about them! We will meet at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Bluebird Parking Lot at the  intersection of Pleasant Plains Rd. Auto Tour Route & Wood Duck Way, Basking Ridge, NJ. It's a bit tricky, so enter the following coordinates into your GPS as they appear here and to get to the exact location:  40.709360, -74.502889

Get Tickets Free – $40.00

Evening Briefing: Climate Change in New Jersey

Greater Newark Conservancy 32 Prince Street, Newark, United States

As climate change becomes an alarmingly growing issue, it's important to know what we are facing. Come get the facts from Dr. Krassi Lazarova, Science Department Chair and Associate Professor of Physics at Centenary University. Dr. Lazarova will address the causes of climate change and the effects we will encounter right here in New Jersey. We will also learn about the ways we can adapt and even lessen the severity of our impact on our current environment.

Workshop: DIY Pollinator Box

Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, United States

Did you know some bees don’t live in hives? Want to find out what all the buzz about pollinator boxes is about? Perhaps you already know and want one of your own. This workshop will be “the bee’s knees!” Join us for an evening of building, learning and all-around good fun as we talk about the importance of solitary bees and pollinator habitats to the ecosystem, and build a pollinator box of your own to take home! Cost: $20/box. This workshop is limited to the first 16 people who register. Missing this event will really sting, so make sure you register today!

Sold Out $20.00

Summer Colors Hike at Garret Mountain Reservation

Garret Mountain Reservation Lambert Castle Parking Lot, 3 Valley Rd., Paterson, NJ, United States

Soak up the last drops of summer at the beautiful Garret Mountain Reservation. Adam will guide you through the trails and identify the many varieties of trees and plants at the peak of their lushness. Situated 500 feet above sea level, Garret Mountain Reserve offers several overlooks with panoramic views of northern New Jersey and New York City that you can't see from anywhere else in Passaic County. Be sure to grab your binoculars, camera and reusable water bottle. Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. Registration required.

Get Tickets Free – $40.00

Breakfast Briefing: Recycling – Straight from the Source

Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, United States

Well-intentioned but incorrect recycling creates major problems at the recycling plant. Just ask Gary Sandermeyer, VP of Operations at Bayshore Recycling. And you can do just that when you join us for an inside look at recycling and how it all works. Gary will provide us with the first-hand dos and don'ts of curbside recycling (AKA Class A recycling.) We'll also learn about how New Jersey was the first State in the country to require “mandatory recycling” dating back to 1987. Come get the real facts on recycling.

Get Tickets Free – $40.00