ROAD TRIP: Voyageurs National Park Celebrates Dark Skies with Labor Day Weekend 'Star Party'

Minnesota's Certified Dark Sky Park to host free astronomy event Aug. 29 - 30

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn., Aug. 19, 2025 -- Voyageurs Conservancy, the National Park Service (NPS) and partners are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Voyageurs National Park and its renowned night skies with an end-of-summer Star Party over Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29 – 30. The Certified Dark Sky Park is a primarily water-based park in northern Minnesota, spanning more than 218,000 acres of lakes, forests and streams.

The fifth annual Voyageurs Star Party recognizes the importance of preserving the park's dark skies through land and water-based activities, including expert speakers, Ranger-led programs, stargazing canoe tours, telescope viewing sessions, and guided constellation tours, with activities taking place at the Rainy Lake and Kabetogama Lake Visitor Centers. The free, family-friendly event is a collaborative effort among Voyageurs Conservancy, the official charitable partner of the park, the National Park Service, Starry Skies North, Wilderness Inquiry, and Bell Museum.

View a full schedule of 2025 Star Party events, locations, and other details at Voyageurs.org/starparty. Voyageurs Star Party* program highlights include:

Hear from astronomy experts, including: Voyageurs Conservancy dark sky specialist and NASA ambassador, Jesse Gates; Starry Skies North president and DarkSky International delegate, Todd Burlet; and Travis Novitsky, photographer for the Spirits Dancing and co-producer of the award-winning documentary Northern Nights, Starry Skies, who will share extensive night sky knowledge and Indigenous cultural connections to the cosmos
Stargaze aboard the Canoemobile with Wilderness Inquiry
Become a Dark Sky Junior Ranger
Learn all about light pollution, its impact, solutions, and opportunities
Attend a "Northern Nights Starry Skies" film showing
Gaze through guided telescope sessions, constellation tours and galaxies under Voyageurs' star-studded skies
Learn about gravity with the Bell Museum
Enjoy live music, s'mores and stories under the stars

Star Party programs will take place in Voyageurs National Park at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center on Fri., Aug. 29, and the Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center on Sat., Aug. 30. Most activities take place from 7 p.m. to midnight. There is no entry fee to the park, and Star Party pre-registration is appreciated, but not required. Specific event times and planning details can be found at voyageurs.org/starparty.

"From amateur astronomers to first-time stargazers, the Star Party is a stellar opportunity to connect with our awe-inspiring universe and recognize the importance of protecting our night skies. Although light pollution threatens dark skies across the globe, Voyageurs is one of the best places in the world to see night skies," said executive director, Voyageurs Conservancy, Christina Hausman Rhode. "Seeing the natural wonder of the park after dark and learning about the cultural connection to our night skies is a bucket list experience," added Hausman Rhode.

Voyageurs Dark Sky Initiative

Voyageurs Conservancy and the NPS secured International Dark Sky Park certification from DarkSky International for Voyageurs in 2020. Today, the Voyageurs Dark Sky Initiative is a joint effort to preserve light pollution-free habitats for the species who call the park home, and an opportunity to expand business engagement and public awareness around the natural and cultural significance of the park's dark skies through educational programming, events and resources, including:

Voyageurs Classroom – Through the Voyageurs Classroom initiative, Voyageurs Conservancy, the NPS, and partners offer education programming to bring the park to classrooms across the state and nation, including engaging dark sky programming and events that aim to educate youth and the public on the significance of our dark skies.
Park-After-Dark Programs – During summer months, the park and the Conservancy host regular telescope sessions and night sky tours in Voyageurs and surrounding communities.
Voyageurs Dark Sky Visitor Guide – This new and free guide offers night sky viewing tips and stellar stargazing spots in Voyageurs.
Boreal Stargazing Week – The weeklong celebration of Minnesota's night skies features Voyageurs-based nighttime activities that highlight our dark sky park, along with starry, statewide programming. The Feb. 2026 event is a collaborative effort among Voyageurs Conservancy, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Voyageurs National Park, Superior National Forest, Bell Museum, and Starry Skies North.

You can support Voyageurs Classroom and Dark Sky initiatives with a donation at voyageurs.org/give. Sign up to receive Conservancy updates at voyageurs.org/subscribe.

"I invite everyone to come out to the park and experience the awe and beauty of seeing the stars under some of the darkest skies in the country," said Kate Severson, program manager for interpretation and education, Voyageurs National Park. "Voyageurs' annual Star Party is a chance to rekindle that timeless sense of wonder, to look up, feel small in the best way, and leave with a renewed appreciation for the universe and the science that helps us understand it," added Severson.

Voyageurs 50th Anniversary

Voyageurs Conservancy and the NPS are commemorating Voyageurs' 50th anniversary in 2025 with special events like the Star Party, philanthropy, community partnerships, storytelling, and more. This week, park enthusiasts are encouraged to join the #Voyageurs50 celebration by visiting the all-new Voyageurs National Park exhibit at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair Aug. 21 – 23 to honor the half-century milestone.

Additionally, the Voyageurs 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes runs through Sept. 30 for a chance to win Voyageurs-inspired prizes, including a Wenonah Canoe, a two-night stay in Voyageur Outpost's geodesic dome, floating chairs from Paddle North, a custom Voyageurs map blanket from Faribault Mills, and more.

Visit voyageurs.org/50th for more information and follow @VoyageursConservancy on Instagram and Facebook.

About Voyageurs Conservancy
Voyageurs Conservancy, the official charitable partner of Voyageurs National Park, is a community of people dedicated to preserving, protecting, and sharing the unique experience of Minnesota's only national park. The Conservancy works directly with the National Park Service to support conservation and recreation projects, advance education and outreach, and protect the wild nature of the park.

About Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs National Park spans 218,000+ acres of natural beauty in northern Minnesota, offering a year-round adventure wonderland of ancient exposed rock ridges, cliffs, wetlands, forests, streams, and dozens of lakes. Established in 1975, the primarily water-based park is named after the French-Canadian Voyageurs who once navigated these border waters. Whether exploring by land, water, or ice, there's something for everyone.

*Funding for this program was provided in part by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

SOURCE Voyageurs Conservancy