Blue River Discovery Days

Join Heartland Conservation Alliance for the 4th Annual Blue River Discovery Days Festival, a free, family-friendly event celebrating Kansas City’s most populated watershed.

Bring the whole crew to Blue Valley Park on October 10th from 9:00 AM to 2 PM for an outdoor day packed with guided hikes, kayaking, birding, native food foraging, and more! You can also explore activities from local conservation partners and enjoy nature-based crafts for all ages. Guided activities kick off every half hour, but continuous opportunities throughout the morning mean you are welcome to drop in whenever you like.

This year’s festival also highlights the exciting progress of the Renewing the Blue project. This collaborative initiative is actively transforming the urban river corridor by removing invasive species, restoring native habitats, and establishing a new community food forest. Come see these restoration efforts firsthand and learn how local groups are creating a healthier, more accessible river for our entire community.

Please help us stay green by bringing your own water bottle!

For a complete breakdown of activities and event specifics, visit the Blue River Discovery Days webpage.

Participant Qualifications:

You must:

• Register before the event for yourself AND any legal dependents under 18 or adults under your legal guardianship. For this event, anyone:
  • 15 or older can volunteer independently.
  • 14 and younger must be under parent or legal guardian supervision the entire time. 
     
• Review and accept the Volunteer Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risks, and Photo Release:

  • If you are 18 or older, click the link above to review the waiver and then electronically confirm your acceptance when finalizing your registration.

  • If you are under 18 or an adult under legal guardianship, you can register in one of two ways:

    1. Through a parent or legal guardian, who must add you to their registration and accept the waiver electronically.

    2. Independently, but you must provide a waiver signed by your parent or legal guardian either as a hard copy at the event or by emailing a scanned copy to the event contact beforehand.

What to Bring:

• Plenty of water appropriate for your needs and weather conditions. There will be no running water on site.
• Sunscreen and/or bug spray as appropriate.
• Long pants and close toed shoes are highly recommended to protect against bugs.

Restrooms:

There will be a porta-potty on site.

With tick populations rising in the Kansas City area, we want to ensure all our outdoor participants stay safe. Please perform a thorough tick check after the event and review the Missouri Department of Health’s Missouri Tickborne Disease Story Map for more information on tick-borne diseases and prevention.