Abilities Celebration and Wildlife Day ♿

Join us for our fourth annual Abilities Celebration alongside NYS Parks Wildlife Day! Join us for a family-friendly day of live music, food, guided hikes, and wildlife at our fourth annual Abilities Celebration and Wildlife Day! This year, we are proud to present two Distinguished Guests who will be speaking and holding Q & A sessions at 2:00pm: Gesy Duran, Ms. Wheelchair NY 2027 and Latavia Sturdivant, Ms. Wheelchair America 2026! If you missed Latavia last year, this is your second chance to meet and speak with her! With our well-maintained carriage roads, Rockefeller State Park Preserve is uniquely suited to welcome individuals of all abilities. We aim to create an inclusive environment where everyone can be grounded in nature and connected to their community. We’ll be showing our two Mountain Trike all-terrain chairs, which guests will have the opportunity to test. You’ll get to meet some lovable therapy dogs and chat with our partner organizations to learn about adaptive outdoor recreation in our area. This event coincides with New York State Parks Wildlife Day, you are guaranteed to leave with a renewed sense of adventure and community! Activities will include sensory stations, live music, and over 10 wildlife and environmental tables. Cost: FREE, registration required. Parking fees waived for attendees. The Access Nature Project facilitates outdoor experiences while educating about the benefits of being immersed in nature. SOAR Experiences, INC, is a not-for-profit organization offering experiences, education and charitable opportunities promoting outdoor recreation to guests with mobility impairments. Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause and their lovable therapy dogs will be spreading smiles as they provide emotional support and help with social interaction. Photos courtesy of Bill Golden and Pierce Johnston.