Free Admission and Festivities for All during National Park Week April 16-24

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All Americans Encouraged to #FindYourPark and Celebrate the NPS Centennial
As the National Park Service (NPS) celebrates
100 years of protecting and preserving the nation’s parks and monuments, all Americans are encouraged to get out and #FindYourPark
during National Park Week
, April 16 through 24. All National Park Service entrance fees will be waived for the week so choose a park, near or far, and discover what makes it unique.
Each of the 410 national parks is a thread in the tapestry that tells the story of our country and its beautiful landscapes, diverse culture, and rich heritage.
Throughout the year, and especially during National Park Week, the NPS and the National Park Foundation, invite everyone to discover and share their own unique
connections to our public lands.
“We have an amazing variety of special events taking place during the centennial,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “Some commemorate our first hundred years, but many others look to the future, to the
next 100 years, and will help connect with and create the next generation of park visitors, supporters and advocates. It is through them that America’s lands
and stories will be preserved and passed on to future generations.”
“With free admission to parks all week long, National Park Week is the perfect
opportunity to check out a new location, revisit one of your favorite parks, and
perhaps invite a friend who has never visited a park before to join you,” said
Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation, the official charity
of America’s national parks. “It’s a great time to experience and celebrate our parks and historic places, and discover and share with each other how these
treasured places are vital and relevant to people from all backgrounds from all
over the country.”
National Park Week will kick off with National Junior Ranger Day on Saturday, April 16. Parks will host kid oriented activities and distribute the new Centennial Junior Ranger booklet and badge. Throughout the week, many parks will also host Every Kid in a Park events, which
encourage fourth grade students to visit national parks and other public lands by offering a free annual pass.
Other highlights during the week include an education summit on April 20, Earth Day events on April 22, a national park InstaMeet on April 23, and Park RxDay on
April 24. Park Rx is a community health initiative where medical doctors “prescribe” time in parks to promote wellness and help prevent and treat chronic
disease. More than a dozen national parks will offer health screenings and recreational activities, including an event with the U.S. Surgeon General.