Star Gay-zing with Queers in nature | Hales-McKay Shelter
Cultural Experiences
Queer Nature Pals!
Lets go Star-gay-zing
There are meteors! They look pretty! Lets watch together!
Main date April 21st, Rain/cloud date April 22nd
Our main goal with Queers in Nature is to bring folks from the LGBTQIA+ community together in the outdoors to foster a deeper individual connection with our natural world while simultaneously growing stronger community bonds
We will meet at
8:30pm
(*please arrive on time friends!) at the Hales-Mckay shelter at the University of Guelph Arboretum, (carpools are available!).
Click here
for exact location. We will lay on blankets and watch the stars fall until
10pm
.
We will walk on the flat and wide road to a nearby field. Bring chairs, blankets, sleeping bags, and snacks. Dress warm. We won’t me moving much. Just pointing and oohhhing and ahhing at the magnificence of the universe.
The Arboretum at the University of Guelph resides
within the Dish with One Spoon territory
on the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credi
t.
It i
s located within the Between the Lakes Purchase (Treaty 3).
COVID Policy
If you have been feeling unwell prior to attending this event, please stay home.
Though this is an outdoor event, we are still mindful of the ways that illness spreads when folks gather together and want everyone to feel safe attending. We STRONGLY encourage those who are carpooling to wear masks while travelling together.
We also ask that all attendees do a
rapid test before attending
, as well as stay up to date on their vaccines and boosters. We hike together for our mental and physical well-being, so let's be mindful of keeping our extended communities safe too!
Accessibility
This event is considered
low impact
. We will be walking only a short distance on a wide flat road, then laying on blankets and watching small particles of rock burn up in our atmosphere (but in a gay way).
This trailhead is not accessible directly by public transit. But can be reached by taking the 99 bus from downtown to the University centre, then walking approx 20 mins to the shelter.
Carpools
may also be available from within Guelph. Please reach out to Queers in Nature admin, by email or on instagram, if transportation is a barrier for you and we will HAPPILY try to assist in coordinating rides! There is a parking lot located at our meeting point.
Please keep an eye on the
weather.
Depending on the weather we experience leading up to the event, the trails may be wet, hot, cold, or slippery and more difficult for some attendees. In the case of extreme winds or not so lovely weather, the event may be cancelled or postponed. If this is the case, you will be notified via email and we will also post on updates on our instagram page (@queerz.in.nature).
We ask that all participants are
dressed appropriately
for the weather and the activity(including but not limited to: appropriate footwear for a varied terrain, layers for temperature variations, rain gear, etc).
We ask that all participants help to make this an accessible event by not wearing scents/perfumes and please refrain from consuming drugs or alcohol during the hike or before the hike.
There are
no washroom facilities
located along the trail. Please use the washroom prior to arriving, and be prepared to make a stop along the trail (in the woods) if necessary.
While kiddos are welcome on this hike, the event is catered towards adults, and will move at (nerdy outdoorsy) adult pace.
Some snacks may be provided but we ask that everyone bring adequate water and snacks to fuel your body through the event. There are no water refill stations on the hike.
We might encounter
bugs
(mosquitos, ticks, other creepy crawlies), as well as plants that cause rashes (poison ivy, etc). Please be aware of your surroundings and take necessary precautions.
There are risks involved in these events.
By signing up for this event, you are agreeing that you will be responsible for your own care and safety, and to be mindful and respectful with regard to the care and safety of other participants. Queers in Nature is a volunteer-led group, and we are not liable for anything that may occur to participants during or surrounding this event.
We are so excited to see you out in nature!
Information Source: Queers in Nature | eventbrite