Discovery Days
Free Hands-On Workshops to Build Nature Skills and Stewardship
Sometimes just 30 minutes outside is enough to feel more grounded. From the scent of fresh herbs to the “ah-ha!” moments of new connections and the laughter of families sharing time outdoors together, Oxbow Discovery Days (formerly known as Pilot Programs) invite you into a living, evolving learning experience.
2026 Discovery Days
Friday, April 10
Saturday, April 11
Event has passed
Friday, June 12
Saturday, June 13
See Session Schedule
Tickets Coming Soon
Friday, August 7
Saturday, August 8
Details & Tickets Coming Soon
Across farm fields and forest trails, moments of curiosity unfold into skills through lessons like parenting outdoors, food preservation, fostering biodiversity in everyday spaces, and more. Whether you’re new to outdoor learning or simply seeking a reset, these mini sessions offer simple, meaningful ways to reconnect with the world around you. Even better, your feedback helps shape future programs that invite more folks to learn, play, and feel at home in nature.
These investigations and experiences are designed for learners of all ages. You can drop in for one or stay all day. Mix and match from several unique workshops, each 30–45 minutes.
Join In. Give Back.
Come try something new. We’ll ask for your thoughts after, and your input helps shape what’s next. Here’s what to expect:
Hands-on Learning
You won’t just hear about nature, you’ll touch, taste, smell, and engage with it. From dyeing fabric with Oregon grape bark to building a worm bin, each session offers memorable sensory experiences and tangible skills you can use at home.
Community Feedback
Share your voice and help shape what’s next. Your insights helps shape future programming, ensuring it reflects what our community values.
Welcoming Environment
Whether you’re a seasoned nature lover or a total beginner, these sessions are welcoming, low-commitment, and completely free.
Topic Variety
Explore what sparks your curiosity. Choose from several unique sessions covering everything from dried flower bouquets and quick pickles to seasonal flavors and nature journaling. There’s something for every interest, and you’re welcome to try one or dig into them all.
Tickets
Register for for FREE
Oxbow’s Discovery Days are supported, in part, by 4Culture. We’re deeply grateful for their partnership, which allows us to offer accessible ticket pricing and connect more people with outdoor learning experiences.
Please register in advance—spaces are limited, and your RSVP helps us prepare materials thoughtfully to minimize waste.
Upcoming Sessions Schedule
June 12 (12PM-3PM) & June 13 (11AM-3PM), 2026
Times:
Friday, June 12, 12PM + 3PM
Saturday, June 13, 11AM + 3PM
Length:
~30 minutes
Kid-friendly
Location:
Clubhouse
Investigate the hidden world beneath your feet as you meet one of the farm’s hardest workers—the worm! Dig in to soil life up close and discover how these small creatures help grow healthy food and thriving ecosystems.
Times:
Friday, June 12, 11AM + 2PM
Length:
~30 minutes
All ages
Location:
Welcome Pergola
Explore environmental education through hands-on activities designed for kids and adults to learn alongside one another. Together, you’ll investigate how environmental education builds ecological understanding and connection to place while experiencing the “how” and “why” behind these teaching approaches in real time. This intergenerational workshop invites curiosity, participation, and shared discovery outdoors.
Times:
Friday, June 12, 3PM
Saturday, June 13, 11AM + 1PM
Length:
~45 minutes
All ages
Location:
Outdoor Kitchen
Create one-of-a-kind botanical prints using flowers you forage and bundle into colorful compositions for steam dyeing. This session invites you to experiment with natural pigments and transform seasonal blooms into soft patterns and lasting botanical impressions on fabric.
Times:
Friday, June 12, 2PM
Saturday, June 13, 10AM + 2PM
Length:
~30 minutes
Location:
Kids’ Farm Pergolas
Collect blooms and preserve them in your own nature journal while learning simple flower pressing methods and seasonal plant identification. Arrange gathered plants into colorful pages inspired by the gardens, fields, and forest edges around Oxbow.
Times:
Friday, June 12, 2PM
Saturday, June 13, 10AM + 2PM
Length:
~1 hour
School-aged kids+
Unleash your inner naturalist on a guided expedition through Oxbow’s hidden trails. Equipped with paper, pencil, and keen observation, you’ll help document key landscape features, native plants, wildlife habitat, and more. Together, we’ll create a shared living map that evolves from season to season.
Times:
Friday, June 12, 10AM + 2PM
Length:
~30 minutes
All ages
Location:
TBD
Dig into the basics of plant care, companion planting, and pollinator-friendly gardening as you create your own take-home planter. Learn how flowers and food-bearing plants can support one another while building healthy soil, attracting pollinators, and creating small but thriving garden ecosystems. Participants will leave with a planted fabric container and simple tools for continuing their gardening journey beyond the farm.
Times:
Friday, June 12, 10AM + 11AM
Saturday, June 13, 2PM
Length:
~45 minutes
Adult-focused, kid-friendly
Location:
TBD
Dig into the basics of plant care, companion planting, and pollinator-friendly gardening as you create your own take-home planter. Learn how flowers and food-bearing plants can support one another while building healthy soil, attracting pollinators, and creating small but thriving garden ecosystems. Participants will leave with a planted fabric container and simple tools for continuing their gardening journey beyond the farm.
Times:
Saturday, June 13, 10AM-1PM
Length:
3 hours
Kid-friendly
Location:
TBD
Drop into our Second Saturday Restoration Work Party to get your hands in the soil and help support habitat by planting native trees and shrubs along the Snoqualmie River.
FAQs
No. You’re welcome to join for one session or stay for multiple throughout the day.
Yes! Many sessions are designed for kids, families, and caregivers, with additional offerings for adults.
No prior experience is needed. Sessions are designed to be welcoming and accessible for all skill levels.
Please bring weather-appropriate clothing, a water bottle, and a notebook if you’d like to take notes. These workshops include outdoor components, so dress for the season.
Portable restrooms (Honey Buckets) are available for visitors. Handwashing stations and hand sanitizer will be provided.
Oxbow offers accessible parking around our Plant Stand. Trails beyond can be uneven and difficult to navigate with wheelchairs or mobility aids. There is an accessible Honey Bucket portable restroom near Kids’ Farm. For questions or assistance, visit oxbow.org/visit/#accessibility or email thedirt@oxbow.org. To arrange for parking further into the farm and closer to the day’s programs, email education@oxbow.org.
Yes! We have plenty of parking spots available at the Plant Stand.
Sign Up and Start Planning
Be the first to know when Discovery Day topics, tickets, and schedules are released.
Bonus! When you sign up, you’ll receive a free lesson plan for making your own newspaper planting pots. These DIY containers are a fun, earth-friendly way to cut waste while getting seeds started indoors.