Crawford County Recreation & Tourism and the Louisville Astronomical Society are partnering for a second year to present The Milky Way Festival.
The Milky Way Festival consists of two back-to-back weekends of observing the Milky Way galaxy and other dark sky objects, and celebrating Crawford County, Indiana’s exceptionally dark night skies.
The first weekend of the festival will be held at Sycamore Springs Park, a pristine family campground located in English, IN, on August 15 & 16, and the second weekend will be held at Cave Country Canoes, a canoe and kayak rental located along the Blue River, on August 22 & 23. Observation of the Milky Way galaxy is made possible by Crawford County, IN’s exceptionally low levels of light pollution. Each night of the festival will begin at 8:00 PM, with observing beginning at 9:00 PM and best observing after 10:00 PM. The event will close at Midnight.
Last year, over 200 guests attended from locations near and far. We are once again anticipating that the festival will be a huge hit. For folks wishing to sleep under the stars, camping is available at both Sycamore Springs Park and Cave Country Canoes. Area cabins and Airbnbs are available for those who prefer a fully furnished accommodation.
Light pollution is largely caused by the excessive and misdirected use of lighting at night. As a small rural county located in Southern Indiana, Crawford County, IN, benefits from low levels of light pollution, allowing residents, visitors, and astronomers alike the possibility of stargazing. Crawford County sits in the middle of a narrow strip of dark sky; however, this window is quickly closing. Between 2016 and 2022, LAS identified a series of changes that have caused the county to lose its darkest skies. These changes indicate a brightening of the night sky in Crawford County. To preserve our night sky, we need to practice dark sky-approved lighting and encourage others to do the same.
You can get a head start on the learning by visiting www.darksky.org.
Bring a lawn chair and a blanket and prepare to admire the stars like never before! Join us in Crawford County for two weekends of unforgettable stargazing and family-friendly fun! For more information about the festival, where to stay, and more, visit www.cometocrawford.com!
