2018 Hillside Festival: Wildlife Bingo, Nature Hikes & History | Final Day

El Cerrito Trail Trekkers is holding the 6th Annual Hillside Festival. The festival will take place over three days this year. Friday to Sunday with individual hikes and other activities through the Hillside Natural Area. Free, as always, and very family friendly.

“Trekkers will focus on fire prevention in 2019”

2019 Hillside Festival
May 3, 2019 | 5 pm to 7 pm
May 4 to May 5, 2019 | 10 am
Hillside Natural Area, 7501 Schmidt Ln, El Cerrito
FREE

The El Cerrito Hillside Festival will feature a wide variety of activities, with events throughout the 100-acre Hillside Natural Area, including nature hikes and a scavenger hunt for young people; a geological hike; the Dog Scouts; walks to learn about native plants, birds, insects and wildflowers; a walk with a city firefighter focusing on preventing wild land fires lead by fire marshal, Dave Gibson; a hidden poetry-geocaching walk; a history hike; meditation in nature, and more. Hikes range from strenuous to easy.

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Friday, May 3:

• 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Hillside Natural Area, its history and natural history.

Saturday, May 4:

• 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Young Persons’ Nature Hike led by Madera Elementary School PTA and Foundation members.
• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dog Scouts of America — Merit Badges, Community Service and Therapy Work.
• Noon to 2 p.m. Geology Walk. Co-sponsored by the Northern California Geological Society, leaders Mark Petrofsky and Bill Motzer.
• 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Boy Scouts Nature Hike and Habitat Preservation.
• 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Beginner-general level Plant Walk. Janet Gawthrop of the California Native Plant Society leads this moderate walk, focusing on native plant restoration.
• 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Family-friendly Evening Ramble. Alina Constantinescu leads a steep but relaxing 90-minute to two hour stroll through the Hillside. The hike is about 2.5 miles on t0rails and sidewalks.

Sunday, May 5:

• 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Early Morning Bird Walk led by Golden Gate Audubon Society member Tara McIntire.
• 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Family Friendly Geology Stroll.
• 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Preventing wild land fires walk.
• Noon to 3 p.m. Nature Scavenger Hunt.
• 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Insect hike.
• 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Easy Wildflower Walk.
• 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Hidden Poetry/Geocaching Hike. J
• 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy the view, snacks, and good company. Join an informal gathering with members of Trekkers and some of our hike leaders and volunteers.
• 7 p.m. As the day winds to a close, join Nicole Becker from Ojas Yoga Center for Meditation in Nature, high in the hills by a rock outcrop with stupendous views. Relaxing. Enter at Location Five, King Court Trailhead. Follow signs for a few hundred yards.

Porta-potties are available at the Regency Court Gateway and at King Court. There is a restroom open all day at the Recycling Center near the Schmidt Lane Trailhead.