Sidewalk Stargazing 

Saturday, 27 January 2024 (THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES)
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Cambria Historical Museum gardens, Center Street and Burton Drive

• Presentation by renowned astronomer Kelly Beatty, formerly editor at Sky & Telescope Magazine and MC at International Dark Sky Association annual conferences. 

• Astrophotography by Catherine Ryan Hyde on the big screen. 

• Stunning deep space images by Frank Widmann set to music. 

• Live telescopes to view the dazzling January sky filled with bright stars in the constellations Orion and Taurus. Planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and  Neptune are shining brightly. Nebulae include the Pleiades, Orion and Rosette. The moon is a waxing crescent. 

• Full moon hot chocolate and celestial cookies!

Earth Day
Monday, 22 April 2024
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Greenspace Reserve, 2264 Center Street

Visit our booth at this free event for a preview of our upcoming annual Bee & Butterfly Faire and to learn about our Dark Skies Initiative. Earth Day coincides with the last day of International Dark Sky Week, and we’ll have plenty of Dark Skies items for sale. Honey too, of course!

Bee, Butterfly & Bat Faire
Sunday, 5 May 2024
Noon to 4 p.m.
Cambria Historical Museum gardens, Center Street and Burton Drive

To help bring attention to the plight of bees and other pollinators, Beautify Cambria has hosted an annual Bee Faire (now the Bee & Butterfly Faire) with support from the Cambria Historical Society. This is a free event with a silent auction. Bee-related products are available for purchase, speakers inform on topics including backyard beekeeping, gardening for pollinators, humane hive removal and more, a spectacular photo exhibit reveals the beauty of bees and butterflies in stunning detail, and there are plenty of kid-friendly activities. 

Squibbing Day
September 2024 (date TBD) 
Noon to 3 p.m. 
Cambria Historical Museum gardens, Center and Burton

Squibbing Day is Cambria’s Fall cleanup day, named for Paul and Louise Squibb, owners of the historic Squibb House. When out walking, the Squibbs picked up any trash that detracted from Cambria’s attractive ambience. They did this so frequently that they became well known for tidying up the town. Others often joined them, and picking up trash while strolling around Cambria became known as Squibbing. Eventually, SLO County Supervisors designated May 1 as the town’s official Squibbing Day. Beautify Cambria has resurrected this tradition.

Pick up your collection bag, gloves and other equipment at Cambria Historical Museum gardens. Come any time between noon and 3 p.m. Free cookies and lemonade fuel hardworking Squibbers!

NASA International Observe the Moon Night
Plus high-resolution images from James Webb Telescope

Saturday, 14 September 2024 
6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. 
Santa Rosa Church, 1174 Main St., Cambria 

International Observe the Moon Night is a time to come together with fellow Moon enthusiasts and curious people worldwide. NASA invites everyone on Earth to learn about lunar science and exploration, take part in celestial observations, and honor cultural and personal connections to the Moon.

Observe the Moon Night occurs annually in September or October, when the Moon is around first quarter ― a great phase for evening observing. Speakers tell us about the heavens, share stunning images of the moon, the stars and other deep space entities, and we will provide powerful telescopes for viewing.

To learn more, visit https://moon.nasa.gov/observe-the-moon-night/about/overview/.

$10 donation is requested. Proceeds from this event go toward assisting downtown and Moonstone businesses to upgrade to Dark Sky-friendly lighting, a major step toward achieving certification for Cambria as an International Dark Sky Place.  International Observe the Moon Night is part of our Dark Skies initiative4