When the workday winds down, TREC is just ramping up!
Join the TREC Foundation and the Regional Science Consortium every Thursday all summer long for TREC: After Hours.
An unforgettable series packed with hands-on science, live animals, and hands-on fun for all ages. From June 4 through August 20, TREC extends its hours, remaining open from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., so your summer nights have somewhere new to explore.
Each week brings a brand-new wildlife or science theme to life. From bird banding to live turtles, and root beer float science, to aquaponics, film screenings, and exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of TREC. Whether you're 7 or 70, curious or just looking for something different, there's always something wild waiting.
Best of all? It's completely free. Drop in any Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. and see what's wild at TREC: After Hours.
TREC: After Hours is generously supported by a grant from the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority.
Weekly Schedule:
June 25 – Pollinator Palooza
Celebrate National Pollinator Week with everything birds, bees, and butterflies as we explore the role of pollinators and the vital role they play in nature and for humans. Build a pollinator house, learn about native plants for bee gardens, take an eye-opening look at the food we eat that relies on pollinators and see an array of pollinator specimens.
Free Movies:
Bee Wild! The Secret Life of Wild Honeybees, 4:00PM
Animal Kingdom, 5:00PM
Bee Wild! The Secret Life of Wild Honeybees, 6:00PM
Animal Kingdom, 7:00PM
July 2 – America's Birthday Party
Happy Birthday America! This birthday party's theme is all about red, white and blue, add cake, a craft, history, and this birthday party is a must-attend! Learn about animal adaptations, see if you can spot the red, white and blue in nature, take in the Presque Isle 250 exhibit and learn about Erie's Hidden Creeks and the Mill Creek flood of 1915.
Celebratory mini cakes provided by our friends at Nothing Bundt Cakes!
Free Movies:
Landmark: Erie's Bicentennial Tower - A Film by Michael Kraus - 5:00PM
Landmark: Erie's Bicentennial Tower - A Film by Michael Kraus - 7:00PM
July 9 – What's so 'great' about the Great Lakes?
Lake Erie is part of the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world. This week we dive into the fascinating world of Lake Erie, looking below the surface, along the coasts, and at the rivers and streams that feed this magnificent freshwater resource. PA Department of Environmental Protection, Regional Science Consortium and Lake Erie Lights of PA will be providing activities around geology, shipwrecks, water quality, coastal erosion and more.
Free Movies:
Ripples of Plastic - 4:00PM
All Too Clear: Beneath the Surface of the Great Lakes - 5:00PM
Ripples of Plastic - 6:00PM
All Too Clear: Beneath the Surface of the Great Lakes - 7:00PM
July 16 – Super Science Night
Tonight the spotlight is on science! The Regional Science Consortium will have you learning about water testing, extracting DNA, and taking a closer look at the microscopic world! Discover aquaponics, ongoing research projects, the data collection efforts on Presque Isle, and more. There's something for curious minds of all ages.
Movies: Schedule TBD
July 23 – Discover Presque Isle!
Discover some of the hidden gems of Presque Isle including things you might not see like macroinvertebrates, trails, old infrastructure and more.
Movies: Schedule TBD
July 30 – Piping Plovers: A Conservation Story
Learn the amazing story of the return of this bird to Presque Isle through a movie, exhibit, activities, and more.
Movies: Schedule TBD
August 6 – National Root Beer Float Day!
On hot summer days, nothing cools you down better than this classic concoction. Learn the fizzy science behind this beverage that combines three states of matter: Liquid (root beer), solid (ice cream) and gas (bubbles).
Movies: Schedule TBD
August 13 – Stop Bugging Me!
Insects might be as annoying as a little brother or sister, but much like siblings, they are a vital part of the animal family. Come be amazed at the number and diversity of insects that can be found across the world and here at Presque Isle.
Movies: Schedule TBD
August 20 – This one's for the birds!
Did you know that three nonprofits focused on birds call TREC home? Stop in to learn all things birds! Activities include examining bird feathers under microscopes, watching live bird banding demonstrations, nest check activity, dissecting owl pellets, Purple Martin craft, and viewing specimens of birds found right here on Presque Isle. Stations and activities provided by Regional Science Consortium, Purple Martin Conservation Association, Erie Bird Observatory, Natural History Museum and Presque Isle Audubon Society.
Free Movies:
Pennsylvania Game Commission Film: Our Threatened and Endangered Species – Great Egrets, 4:30PM
Wings over Water – 5:00PM
Pennsylvania Game Commission Film: Our Threatened and Endangered Species – Great Egrets, 6:30PM
Wings over Water – 7:00PM