5th Annual Dark Sky Festival

Whenever we're out driving on a clear night, I can't help but look out at the stars. Luckily, we don't live near a big city, so we can actually see the stars, especially on a dark road between towns. Unfortunately, there are a lot of places where people never get to see the stars because of all the light pollution. I never actually thought of it that way, as pollution, but that's exactly what it is. Not only does all that light hinder the ability for people to see and enjoy the night sky, it can disrupt the surrounding natural environment, cause health problems, and it definitely wastes energy.

To call awareness to the light pollution problem, Harmony, Florida is hosting the 5th Annual Dark Sky Festival on Saturday, April 5 from 7-11pm. The festival is free to the public and includes telescope viewings of the night sky, live music featuring Motown sensation RARE EARTH, children's activities, information about environmentally intelligent lighting and lifestyle practices, and much more. The Festival kicks off the start of National Dark Sky Week, a week set aside to deter light pollution by encouraging better overall outdoor lighting practices.

The Dark Sky Festival, held in Harmony's town square, is kind of a cross between a community picnic and a science fair. It's not only lots of fun, but extremely educational. For more information, do visit the Dark Sky Festival website. There are pictures from previous festivals, some festival history, directions, and more.