Nature Festival about to bloom

The Children's Nature Institute will host its 16th annual Kids' Nature Festival, a day of family fun for toddlers through 8-year-olds and their families from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat., June 3 at Temescal Gateway Park, 15601 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades. Older siblings are welcome at the event.

While visiting dozens of activity booths (free with admission), children will pretend they are walking along the bottom of the ocean at the Undersea Adventure area, search for dinosaur bones like real archeologists at the Dino Dig, and guess the contents of mystery bags at Sensation Station.

Children will learn about the Chumash, the busy lives of bees, and how to tell trash from recyclables.

Guests may visit the Children's Nature Institute's Wonder Mobile with its amazing collection of bones, reclaimed animal pelts and friendly live creatures.

Featuring free live concerts by children's entertainer Dan Crow, the festival also offers food, face painting, a gift shop and a silent auction.

The event is a fundraiser for the organization's Outreach Discovery Program, which serves more than 8,000 inner-city children annually via free nature walk field trips and in-class workshops.

Free parking and free shuttle service are available and there is guided self-parking at the park for $5 (limited availability).

Tickets are $8 and $9.

For more information or to make a reservation, call (310) 860-9484 or visit www. ChildrensNatureInstitute.org.