Gear up for fun, folks! The National Park Service invites you to celebrate all that our national parks have to offer with National Park Week, April 16-24. The Old Courthouse will host free, family-friendly activities and events all week long that honor the 100^th anniversary of the National Park Service, including special children’s activities for Junior Ranger Day on April 16 and a birthday cake party on April 24.

Here’s how you can join the fun at the Old Courthouse:

National Junior Ranger Day: April 16, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Children ages 5-15 can earn special patches and badges for activities offered in celebration of National Junior Ranger Day. They are also invited to dress up like an NPS Ranger and take a selfie with Ranger Gerald Ford’s likeness.

• Junior Ranger Night Explorer Workshop, 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.: Join our Sky Ranger for a unique night sky workshop and earn a special Junior Ranger Night Explorer patch (available April 16 only).
• Earn a limited-edition Junior Ranger badge, 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.: Children can earn a special badge commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the National Park Service by completing a craft projected related to American pioneers, Plains Indians, colonial St. Louis, or Lewis and Clark.

NPS Centennial Book Signing: April 23 and 24, 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Jefferson National Parks Association hosts a special book signing of “The Wonder of It All: 100 Stories from the National Park Service,” in which current and former NPS employees and volunteers recount personal stories of living and working in America’s national parks.

Henry Chouteau Mock Trial: April 23 and 24, 2:00 p.m.
Visitors can become the judge, lawyers, defendant, plaintiff and other courtroom characters in a re-enactment of the Henry Chouteau v. City of St. Louis trial, a key case that challenged the ownership of the Old Courthouse.

Birthday Party with Cake: April 24, 12:00 p.m.
Join Park Rangers in celebrating the National Park Service’s 100^th birthday year with a slice of birthday cake (while supplies last).

Hope to see you at the Old Courthouse April 16-24!