For generations, humans have looked to the stars for inspiration and connection. Located along the Minnesota-Canadian border is a rare sanctuary for starry skies. Voyageurs National Park and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Northern Minnesota make up one of the largest Dark Sky Regions in the world.
Boreal Stargazing programs are brought to you by Voyageurs Conservancy, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Starry Skies North, the National Park Service, Superior National Forest, Expeditions in Education, Polar Polers Ski Club, the Wood Lake Nature Center, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and The Bell Museum.
Boreal Stargazing Week
FEBRUARY 9-15, 2026
A WEEK OF DISCOVERY, STARGAZING, AND NIGHTTIME WONDER
Virtual Education Programs & Statewide Community Events
Boreal Stargazing Week returns February 9–15, 2026, celebrating Minnesota’s remarkable dark skies with virtual programs for schools and community events across the state. This year’s theme, “The Art of the Night Sky,” highlights how science, creativity, and conservation come together under the stars.
Students and community members can enjoy snowshoeing and skiing outings, telescope sessions, live conversations with astronomers, and hands-on activities that explore the connections between art, astronomy, and our protected night skies. With both virtual and in-person programs, there are countless ways to experience the Northwoods after dark and learn why Minnesota is home to one of the world’s largest International Dark Sky Sanctuaries.
Join us in celebrating Minnesota's remarkable dark skies – where science meets art, and wonder illuminates the winter night.
Why are we celebrating?
2026 COMMUNITY PROGRAM SCHEDULE
-
Kickoff Event! Twin Cities: Dark Sky Party
Richfield Community Center
February 6; 6:00-9:00 p.m.This special evening kicks off a week-long celebration exploring artistic representations of the night sky.
Enjoy family-friendly activities featuring educational displays and art inspired by the cosmos. Then bundle up and head outside for guided stargazing! View the moon and celestial objects through telescopes, learn to identify winter constellations, and hear the myths and stories behind them. Warm up by the bonfire with hot cocoa as you take in the beauty of the February night sky. All ages welcome.
Free event. Registration REQUIRED – click here to register.
__________________________________________________________________________
Ely Area Night Astrophotography Hike
February 10, 2026
7:00 p.m.
Fall Lake Public Landing & CampgroundJoin us around the campfire for a candlelit art experience. Try painting, drawing, and writing about the dark sky. Or wander into the Northwoods darkness to try your hand at Astrophotography!
__________________________________________________________________________
Duluth Planetarium: “Painting the Universe for Boreal Stargazing Week”
February 12, 2026
6:00 p.m.
University of Minnesota Duluth PlanetariumExplore the colors of the night sky as we investigate the magnificent variance in the hues of stars, nebulas, and other celestial objects! Attendees will gaze into the colors of the universe within the planetarium, followed by a night hike (snowshoes provided!) in the neighboring Bagley Nature Area. First come, first serve – no registration required.
__________________________________________________________________________
Star Party: When Stars Align
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Rapids Lake Visitor Center: 15865 Rapids Lake Rd, Carver, MN 55315
February 13, 2026
6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m.Want to learn about what happens at the Refuge after dark? This FREE experience includes a guided walk, stargazing (to the extent conditions allow) local art viewing and many more hands-on activities that help us explore the mysteries of the night sky. Open to all ages. No experience needed, come learn about the wonders of the darkness and how you can help reduce light pollution!
Questions? Contact MinnesotaValley@fws.gov or call (952) 854-5900.
Learn more and register here: fws.gov/event/star-party-when-stars-align
__________________________________________________________________________
Let’s Go to Jupiter!
Voyageurs National Park; Rainy Lake Visitor Center
February 13, 2026
5:30 - 8:30 p.m.5:30-6:15 p.m: Indoor presentation at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center with Astro Bob, author and night sky educator.
6:15-6:30 p.m: Drive your car on the iceroad to Black Bay trailhead6:30-8:30 p.m: Step outside on the frozen lake for telescope viewing at Black Bay trailhead. Join us as we observe Saturn, Jupiter, and other wonders of the night sky through our powerful telescopes
Drop by and stay as long as you’d like.
__________________________________________________________________________
Sam Zimmerman Virtual Art Talk: “Our Relatives at Night”
Virtual Webinar
February 14th, 2026
12:00-1:30 p.m. CTSam Zimmerman / Zhaawanoogiizhik (Grand Portage Ojibwe, Direct Descendent) – an artist, author and educator – will share a presentation "Our Relatives at Night" featuring art of the evening sky, including sharing of stories that inspired the pieces. Sam Zimmerman will share paintings that feature the night sky, different animal, bird, and fish relatives that are in the pieces. Children and adults of all ages and families are welcome.
__________________________________________________________________________
Valentine’s Day Special: XC Ski & Love Written in the Winter Sky
Voyageurs National Park
February 14, 2026
1:00-5:00 p.m. Ski & Snowshoe
5:30-8:00 p.m. Astronomy & Telescope program1:00-5:00 p.m: Join Park Rangers and members of the Polar Polers Nordic Ski Club for a fun cross-country ski adventure. Winter equipment (skis and snowshoes) is available to borrow from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center for free while supplies last. Drive directly on the ice road from the visitor center to the Black Bay trailhead.
5:30-6:15 p.m: Indoor presentation at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center with dark sky educator, Jesse Gates
6:15-6:30 p.m: Drive your car on the ice road to Black Bay trailhead.6:30-8:30 p.m: Gather around a campfire and explore the night sky through telescopes and hear love stories from the stars at Black Bay trailhead. Drop by and stay as long as you’d like.
No registration needed for either portion.
__________________________________________________________________________
Space Fest: A Love Letter to Earth
Bell Museum, Falcon Heights
February 14 & 15, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Join us at the Bell Museum on Saturday, February 14 and Sunday, February 15 to explore our planet, Earth. We'll take a look at what makes Earth '”just right,” how we learn about it from space, and what we can do to be good stewards of our special planet. Throughout the weekend we’ll have talks, hands-on activities, and researchers in the museum!
__________________________________________________________________________
Oberg Mountain Candlelit Snowshoe
Oberg Mountain Trailhead; Lutsen, MN
February 14, 2026
6:00-8:00 p.m.The event includes a self-guided ski, snowshoe, or hike along luminary-lit trails, with a bonfire and treats available at the trailhead parking lot. This is a joint event sponsored by the Sugarbush Trail Association and local resorts.
__________________________________________________________________________
Travis Novitsky Photography Presentation
Grand Marais Art Colony Studio 21
February 15, 5:00-6:30 p.m.A proud member and lifelong resident of the Grand Portage Anishinaabe Nation in northeast Minnesota, Travis has been photographing the woods and waters of the north shore of Lake Superior for more than 35 years. He is a self-taught nature and wildlife photographer whose work focuses primarily on his ancestral homelands in Minnesota.
Travis specializes in images of nature and wildlife, but his favorite subject by far is the night sky. He devotes countless hours to capturing images of star-filled skies and the Aurora Borealis (northern lights). Learn more and view Travis’ work: travisnovitsky.com/
2026 K-12 STUDENT PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Bring your students out of their desk and into the largest International Dark Sky Region in the world! By participating in Boreal Stargazing Week, your classroom will receive FREE live virtual programs on the wonders of dark skies with special speakers from the National Park Service, Expeditions in Education, and more! Students will learn about protected Dark Sky Regions, the natural and cultural importance of the night sky, and how we can protect them.
Who can participate? Boreal Stargazing Week Programs are available and free to be live-streamed for K-12 classrooms across the country. Teachers will also receive the recorded sessions if they cannot attend live.
-
Step Outside: Your Guide to the Winter Night Sky
Monday, February 9 | Noon CSTJoin Voyageurs Conservancy's Education & Dark Sky Specialist and NASA Solar System Ambassador to learn about the winter stars above and the stories they hold. This beginner-friendly program invites you to step outside, explore key winter constellations and deep sky wonders, and learn how we can protect our view of the cosmos from light pollution. No telescope needed – just a sense of curiosity and a warm coat!
__________________________________________________________________________
Through Ice and Stars: Stories Beneath the Northern Sky
Tuesday, February 10 | Noon CST
There’s something about winter in Voyageurs that makes you slow down. Maybe it’s the way the lakes freeze over, or how the night sky stretches on forever without a single city light to interrupt it. Out here, the silence is full — full of stories, full of memory, full of meaning.This February, we’ll gather under the stars and on the ice — two landscapes that have always held deep importance for Indigenous communities in this region. Ice fishing wasn’t just about catching dinner. It was (and still is) a way to listen, to wait, to understand the season and the spirit of the land. The stars above weren’t just beautiful — they were maps, calendars, and reminders of one’s place in a much larger story.
For generations, Indigenous peoples have followed the rhythms of the natural world — traveling by starlight, feeding their families from frozen waters, passing down knowledge through quiet observation and shared experience.
__________________________________________________________________________
The Northern Lights: Inspiration in the Boundary Waters
Thursday, February 12th | Noon CSTThe Boundary Waters is a designated “Dark Sky Sanctuary,” but what does that mean and why does it matter? In this virtual session, students will learn about dark sky sanctuaries and why they are important. We’ll spend some time practicing our observation skills as well as look at some of the unique features of the Boundary Waters’ night sky. We’ll end this session by looking at our own night sky and the special features you can see outside your own window.
Last year’s Boreal Stargazing Week attracted 40,000+ students from around the country, including classrooms in Maryland, Minnesota, California, Florida, Tennessee, and New Mexico! Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to immerse your classroom in Minnesota’s starbright skies and get your students interested in the fascinating world of astronomy.
Thank You to our Supporters
Funding support for Boreal Stargazing Week was generously provided by the National Park Foundation and the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).