Methow Dark Sky Week

Mid April is International Dark Sky Week! On Friday, April 3rd Motive Yoga is helping to raise money to support the Methow Dark Sky Coalition and Dark Sky Week events through its 1st Fridays Give-Back program. Enjoy a mellow mindful yoga practice with Gwen Vernon, with 100% of your donations going to the Methow Dark Sky Coalition. The class is Friday, April 3rd from 4:30-5:30pm. You can sign up ahead at motiveyogaco.com/events or just show up to Motive‘s Winthrop studio at 31 West Chewuch Road. Come support the Methow Dark Sky Coalition.

Have fun with the family-friendly scavenger hunt taking you outdoors to find features in the night sky, visit local businesses, and learn about nocturnal creatures and the Methow Valley's precious dark skies. Check back for a link as we get closer to Dark Sky Week.

Stop by the Winthrop Visitor Information Center to explore a beautiful gallery of local night sky photography from local artists and dark sky–inspired artwork created by local elementary and middle school students. You’ll also find brochures, stickers, take-home activities, and educational materials about dark sky–friendly lighting and how to help protect our night skies. Plus, pick up a full calendar of events and a map of participating businesses offering special Dark Sky Week promotions.

Join us for an unforgettable evening under the stars as we celebrate Dark Sky Week with a special stargazing event! This is the perfect opportunity to view planets, distant galaxies, and deep-sky wonders through telescopes while learning more about the night sky. Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or just curious about the cosmos, come soak in the beauty of the universe and experience the magic of a truly dark sky! Participants are asked to park in the front and bring a flashlight or headlamp (red-light preferred), and warm clothes. This event is weather permitting.

Join the Methow Dark Sky Coalition for a laid-back evening of conversation and drinks to celebrate the start of Dark Sky Week! This casual mixer is a great chance to connect with fellow dark sky enthusiasts, learn more about upcoming stargazing events, night hikes, and community activities, and toast to the beauty of the Methow Valley’s night skies over a special OSB Blue Star Coffee Dark Sky Porter!

Experience the Methow Valley’s nighttime landscape in a whole new way during a Sunny M Ranch Blue Hour Sound Walk with nationally recognized sound and visual artist Perri Lynch Howard. This unique event invites participants to slow down and immerse themselves in the subtle sounds, sensations, and stillness of the night. Howard’s work explores the front lines of climate and place through sound, sculpture, and socially engaged art, with installations exhibited across the globe. Join us for this meditative, guided walk to attune your senses and deepen your appreciation of natural darkness—not just what we see, but what we hear and feel under the Methow’s starry skies.

Event will begin and end at the fish hatchery parking lot. Participants limited to 20, please RSVP to Madelyn Hamilton at Madelyn@mvcitizens.org.

Join the Methow Conservancy and retired NASA astrophysicist Tuck Stebbins for a nighttime walk at the Meadowlark Natural Area in Winthrop. Come appreciate our Methow Valley dark skies, and learn about the cosmos from a local expert! This event is part of a whole week of Dark Sky Programming coordinated by the Methow Dark Sky Coalition.

Participants should plan on about an hour of walking, and 30-45 minutes of presentation/conversation. Bring everything you need to be comfortable hiking on single-track in the dark including a headlamp, warm layers, water, etc. Ideally your headlamp will have a red light setting.

RSVP required.

The night sky is our window to the cosmos, but the glow of modern life clouds our view. Surrounded by wilderness and mountains, the Methow Valley offers an endangered clarity: a chance to reflect on the universe and our place within it. Space is limited to 22.

Free workshop for homeowners and professionals on planning residential outdoor lighting that is dark-sky friendly and provides the lighting you need for a safe environment. Presentations from homeowners, architects and an electrician will be followed up by an open house with various design and construction contractors available for planning and discussion. See actual examples of dark-sky-friendly fixtures and learn about five key principles to reduce light pollution, save energy, and protect ecosystems.

Join us for an unforgettable evening under the stars as we celebrate Dark Sky Week with a special stargazing event! This is the perfect opportunity to view planets, distant galaxies, and deep-sky wonders through telescopes while learning more about the night sky. Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or just curious about the cosmos, come soak in the beauty of the universe and experience the magic of a truly dark sky!

Park by the boat launch and bring a flashlight or headlamp (red-light preferred), and warm clothes. This event is weather permitting. Entrance to the park requires a Discovery Pass.