Upcoming
events
~Check back soon for more upcoming events~
June Green Drinks – Mt. Baldy’s Holes Ten Years Later: What New Science Tells Us Now
June 1, 2023 – 6:30pm CST
Zoom or Facebook Live
Save the Dunes is a proud sponsor of Northwest Indiana Green Drinks – bring you camaraderie and conversations on all things sustainable and green.
Discover with Dr. Erin Argyilan, Geology Professor at Indiana University Northwest, how she views the miraculous recovery of Nathan Woessner – who became trapped in a hole on Mt. Baldy – ten years later. The event initiated the exploration of a new type of natural hazard in moving dunes named a “dune decomposition chimney”. Erin will update us on the science that has been conducted on Mt. Baldy since 2013 and the connection between human disturbance and dune movement along the coast of the Great Lakes. You won’t want to miss this one, so spread the word and invite some friends! Learn more in the Facebook Event.
Hike the Chanute Trail – 2 pt. Series
July 29th, 2023 – 11:00a-12:30pm
Marquette Park’s Chanute Trail, Miller Beach, Gary, IN
Join us in exploring the diverse ecosystem along the wooded Chanute Trail at Marquette Park — featuring a fully accessible trail surrounded by dune and marsh habitat.This event is sponsored by Hyrdoflask & Co-Hosted by Save the Dunes & Brown Faces Green Spaces.
Every particpant in the event will go home with a Hydroflask Canteen!
Calumet Outdoor Series- Pollinator Photography Hike
July 15th, 2023 – 12:00PM CST
Paul Douglas Center at Miller Woods, Gary, Indiana
Calling all nature photographers- whether your passion for photography is your full time gig, or you’re interested in using your smart phone to take better photos of the ourdoors, join Save the Dunes, The National Parks Service, and the Field Museum on this photography focused event at the Indiana Dunes National Park!
August Green Drinks – East Arm of the Little Cal: History of Natural Beauty, Loss, and Recovery
August 3rd, 2023 – 6:30PM CST
Zoom or Facebook Live
Join the discussion with Dan Plath, Director of Resource Management at the Indiana Dunes National Park and one of the founders of the Northwest Indiana Paddling Association (NWIPA), and Rob Albrect-Mallinger, the NWIPA Blueways Steward, for a presentation of history, tragedy, restoration, and future planning on the East Arm of the Little Calumet River which runs through Chesterton, Porter, Burns Harbor and Portage in Northwest Indiana. For more information visit the Green Drinks Facebook page.
Hike & Bird Miller Woods
August 12th, 2023 -10:00AM CST
Indiana Dunes National Park – Douglas Center
Join Brown Faces Green Spaces and Save the Dunes for a ranger-lead hike & bird on the Paul H. Douglas Trail in Miller Woods on Saturday, August 12th at 10am.
This event is sponsored by the 2023 Hydro Flask #ParksforAll project — Gary, Indiana. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes and join us in the great outdoors!
National S’mores Day Event
August 4th, 2023 – 7:00PM CST
Indiana Dunes State Park – Nature Center
Celebrate National S’more’s Day AND Smokey Bear’s Birthday with the Indiana Dunes State Park! There will be a whole s’moregasboard of fun that will include a trivia game, marshmallow toss, and a chance to sample from the many s’more variations!
Barker Seasonal Forum – Advocacy for Wetlands
August 23rd, 2023 – 5:30PM-6:30PM CST
Barker House – 444 Barker Rd. Michigan City, IN or via Zoom
Join the Save the Dunes team & other community members for the first session of a new seasonal informational forum at Barker House! On Wednesday August 23rd the topic will the advocacy work Save the Dunes is spearheading in Indiana, as a response to the Supreme Court rollback on wetland protection.
Arrive early to mingle with other guests, check out the historic Barker House (The Save the Dunes offices & headquarters), stay for the forum, and learn more about how your support can further the efforts of Save the Dunes!
Free & Open to the public — this forum will be a hybrid event with the option to join us on zoom!
Northwest Indiana Green Drinks
September 7th 4pm-6pm & 6pm-9pm
Climate Leadership Summit 8, Gary Indiana
Join us this month for a special in-person Green Drinks event! First, meet and mingle before the screening at Brown Skin Coffee (1921 W 25th Avenue Gary, IN) from 4pm-6pm
Then head to IUN School Arts and Sciences Main Stage Theatre (3415 Broadway Gary, IN) for a double featuring screening of two critical environmental documentaries about sustainability in Indiana.
Outdoor Adventure Fest : Sunset Hike
September 9th 6PM-7:30PM CST
Dune Ridge Trail @ Kemil Beach (Indiana Dunes National Park)
The Dune Ridge Trail offers great views of the extensive wetlands and forested dune. The different habitats you’ll see along the trail help make Indiana Dunes National Park one of the top five most biologically diverse of all the national parks. Meet The Save the Dunes Team at Kemil Beach Comfort Station.
The National Park is FREE for the first weekend of Outdoor Adventure Fest! Enjoy a beach day at the park, and then join us for this beautiful hike! Hope to see you there!
Monarch Music Fest
September 10, 2023 – 1:00pm – 5:00pm CST
The Brewery Lodge & Supper Club, Michigan City, Indiana
Festival de la Monarca
September 16th- 11AM CST
Kosciuzko Park 151st and Indianapolis Blvd. East Chicago IN 46312
Bring your family and friends on Saturday, September 16th to the 6th annual Festival de la Monarca.
The festival is free and open to all! Come celebrate with other members of the community with exhibits, fun activities, music, art, dance and food. It’s also a great way to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Save the Dunes will have be tabling this event, and offering free resources on pollinators and landscape level conservation, along with a fun craft!
Duneland Fall Festival
September 16th & 17th- 10AM-4PM CST
Chellberg Farm, 709-747 N Mineral Springs Rd, Porter, IN 46304
History, Music, Food, and Fun! There will be food venders, musical groups, live entertainment, and demonstration booths showcasing skills that farmers would have used in the early 1900s. Hayrides will be available. Admission and parking is free.
Save the Dunes will be tabling this event, sharing information on landscape level conservation – Leave the Leaves! Hope to see you there!
National Public Lands Day Hike & Craft
September 23rd- 11AM-2PM CST
Paul Douglas Center – 100 North Lake Street Gary, IN
Join Brown Faces Green Spaces in partnership with Save the Dunes for a hike with the rangers of the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education to celebrate National Public Lands Day on the new, fully accessible pollinator trail in Miller Woods. Learn about the importance of protecting butterflies, bees and the other pollinators that are critical for a healthy world! All participants will receive a Save the Dunes branded Hydro Flask Canteen a part of their #Parksforall project!
Fireside Tales & S’mores at Barker Woods
Saturday October 7th 5pm-7pmCST
Save the Dunes HQ 444 Barker Rd Michigan City, IN
Join the Save the Dunes team for an evening of curious and haunting tales of the Indiana Dunes around a bonfire! Come for the tales, stay for the S’mores ! The Barker House and Shirley Heinze managed Barker Woods will be open to explore!
Save the Dunes Volunteer Day
Tuesday October 24th 1:00PM-3:30PM
Save the Dunes HQ 444 Barker Rd Michigan City, IN
Fall is here, come lend a hand! Save the Dunes is hosting a Fall Volunteer Day at the Barker House. Join us for an afternoon of sprucing up the Barker House grounds on Tuesday, October 24th from 1:00-3:30pm CST. We will be primarily working in our pollinator garden, pulling weeds and preparing the beds for winter, but we also have some tasks around the property like trimming bushes and tiding the grounds. All supplies will be provided, and all skill levels are welcome! Please RSVP to em@savedunes.org !
Barker Seasonal Forum: Walk & Webinar
Wednesday February 28th 4:30PM-6:30PM
Save the Dunes HQ 444 Barker Rd Michigan City, IN
Join us for part 3 of our new series: Barker Seasonal Forum. these events aim to share the mission of Save the Dunes across advocacy, conservation, and community engagement as well as share our history. Arrive at Barker woods by 4:30PM as We embark on a winter stroll about Barker Woods, and end inside the Barker house for a 45min presentation with Westchester History Museum Curator Serena Ard, as she covers the early history of the creation of the National Park and State Park, lead by the Prairie Club, which eventually lead to the founding of Save the Dunes!
This presentation is IN PERSON but will also stream on Facebook live!
March Northwest Indiana Green Drinks
Pollinator Gardening 101
Thursday March 7th 6:30PM-7:30PM CST
Remote on Zoom & FB live
Every spring for three consecutive years, Northwest Indiana Green Drinks has welcomed pollinator experts to the stage. This year, we’ve invited Steve Sass and Amanda Smith to share their decades of experience with you – both being strong advocates for native plants and pollinators, especially moths! Together they promote discovery and learning through their IN Nature Facebook group and website.
Grab a libation and some delicious eats in your own space as you discover with knowledgeable experts, Steve and Amanda, important details on garden space preparation, specific pollinator species for different conditions, ongoing garden maintenance, and plant sources. Plus, you’ll hear from our moderator, Kathy Sipple of 219 GreenConnect, NWI Region Resilience, and CoThrive Timebank, on how you can generate your dream pollinator garden through sharing, trading, and buying. Kathy’s reflections on sourcing plants and creation stories will inspire you – you won’t want to miss this one!
Northwest Indiana Green Drinks
Thursday, January 8th, 2026
6:30PM CST
On Zoom & Facebook Live
Porter LaPorte Advancing Native Team Meeting
Thursday, January 15th, 2026
12:00PM-1:00PM CST
Shirley Heinze Meadowbrook
At this meeting, we’ll be joined by AJ Popovic, Northwest Indiana Regional Specialist with SICIM, for a presentation titled “Invasive Species: What They Are and Why They Matter” — a great session for anyone newer to the topic or looking to refresh their baseline knowledge.
Winter Wellness Walk
Monday, January 19th, 2026
11:00AM-1:00PM
Meet at Paul H. Doulgas Center for Environmental Education
100 N Lake St, Gary, IN 46403
Join Save the Dunes for a Winter Wellness Walk on the newly completed portion of the Marqutte Greenway!
We’ll meet at the Doulgas Center, and take to the trail connecting Miller woods and West Beach. We’ll end the event with bagels and coffee at Clutch Bagel in Miller Beach.
2026 Shadow Showdown
Saturday, January 31st, 2026
9:00AM-2:00PM
South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, 7770 Corinne Dr, Hammond, IN 46323.
Join Save the Dunes as we celebrate Groundhog Day while supporting Humane Indiana Wildlife! The second annual Groundhog Day Shadow Showdown event features a vendor marketplace, food, wildlife presentations, and meet & greet opportunities with Humane Indiana Wildlife ambassador animals.
Indiana Conservation Voters – Water Stewardship Day
Monday, February 9th, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Indiana State House
Water is vital to our economy, environment and communities. We need to protect it.
Join us on February 9, 2026, for Indiana Water Stewardship Day at the Statehouse. This annual event brings together advocates, professionals and policymakers for a day of learning and action.
Participants will meet with legislators, engage with expert speakers and explore hands-on solutions to protect our state’s water systems. A complimentary lunch is provided.
Together, we can ensure a sustainable water future for Indiana. 💧
Pollinator Garden Clean Up Volunteer Day
Saturday March 23rd 1:00PM-3:00PM CST
Barker House, 444 Barker Rd, Michigan City, IN 46360
Kick off Spring with a garden clean up day with Save the Dunes! Help us plan and clean up the garden area as we gear up to install a native pollinator garden later this year. Please send an email to em@savedunes.org for more information about volunteering with Save the Dunes.
Community Garden Volunteer Days
Saturday March 23rd, May 25th & July 20th
1:00PM-3:00PM CST
Save the Dunes HQ 444 Barker Rd Michigan City, IN
Come get your hands dirty with Save the Dunes! We are embarking on an exciting new project, implementing a native pollinator garden on the property of the Barker House! Come learn gardening basics, plant plugs, water, weed, and mingle with community members around this Michigan City initiative! Please email Em@savedunes.org to RSVP and join our Volunteer co-hort!
Northwest Indiana Green Drinks
Our Once and Future Wetlands: Art, Ecology and Engineering
Thursday November 2nd 6:30pm-7:30pm CST
On Zoom or Facebook Live
All around the world, wetlands support a tremendous diversity of plants and wildlife. The Wetlands Initiative’s first ever artist-in-residence Lindsay Olson spent time in the field with wetland ecologists and engineers before creating a series of wetland-inspired textile works that seek to share the science, process, benefits, and joys of restored wetlands through the lens of art. Lindsay will be joined by Harry Kuttner, Calumet Coordinator, to showcase both the art and science behind TWI restoration projects in the Calumet region.
