BioBlitz Family Fun Festival

Bring the whole family to Phipps for a free, fun festival celebrating science, art and nature!

On Sun., June 8, our annual BioBlitz festival will bring together families, students, local scientists and naturalists, teachers and community leaders to explore the biodiversity of Schenley Park. All free and open to the public, attendees will meet local experts while engaging with community organizations and agencies!

The festival will be held on Phipps' front lawn from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. with guided nature tours through Schenley Park starting at 9 a.m. and running throughout the day. This event is free to attend, and no advance registration is required; optional admission to Phipps Conservatory can be purchased if desired, but are not required for festival attendance.

Event Features

Bioblitz Nature Tours
Embark on a guided walking tour of Schenley Park with a local naturalist, exploring this unique Pittsburgh greenspace and the plants and animals that call it home. Keep your eyes peeled and cameras ready to document living organisms in the park during these surprise-filled expert tours! Themes of the walks will include:

• Birding Walk with Kate St. John | 8:30 a.m. (Note: This walk is two hours long)
• Stream Quest! The Search for Macroinvertebrates with Stephen Bucklin of Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy | 9 a.m. (Note: This activity is 90 minutes long) 
• Electrofishing Demo with Dr. Brady Porter of Duquesne University | 10 a.m.
• Critters in the Litter with Dr. Tim Pearce of Carnegie Museum of Natural History | 10 a.m. 
• Snails and Leaf Litter Critters Walk with Dr. Tim Pearce of Carnegie Museum of Natural History | 11 a.m. 
• Mushrooms Walk with Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club | Noon
• Tree ID Walk with Jack Lachendro or Point State Park | 1 p.m.
• Scats and Tracks Walk with Dr. Maria Wheeler-Dubas of Phipps Conservatory | 2 p.m.

Most walks are 40 – 60 minutes in length.

Share Your Findings at the Bioblitz Research Base
Bring pictures of species you find on the walking tour of Schenley Park to the BioBlitz Research Base on Phipps' front lawn, where Phipps’ experts will identify the species and add them to the BioBlitz organism database. Here is a sample of what participants identified at BioBlitz 2024. 

Create Botanical Art
Join Phipps Botanical Illustration Instructor Robin Menard to create your very own nature-themed botanical art piece. All materials will be provided. Join the fun in Botany Hall Kitchen at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (Recommended for ages 10 and up) 

Meet Local Scientists and Organizations
Discover exciting scientific research taking place in Pittsburgh by meeting our own hometown experts and partner organizations at tabling displays on Phipps' front lawn.

Participating Organizations
California University of Pennsylvania
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Duquesne University
Pennsylvania Master Naturalists
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Point State Park
Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club
University of Pittsburgh

What Is a BioBlitz?

A BioBlitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a period of time. At a BioBlitz, attendees work together to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi and other organisms that live in a specific place. By participating, you’ll explore nature and the species around you, be a part of generating useful data for science and conservation, connect with the environment and meet others in the great outdoors, all while having lots of fun! Check out iNaturalist's Bioblitz Guide to learn more.

We hope you’ll be a part of Pittsburgh’s BioBlitz Family Fun Festival at Phipps!

For more information, please contact Maria Wheeler-Dubas, research and science education outreach manager, at mwheeler-dubas@phipps.conservatory.org or 412/622-6915, ext. 3220.