Pine Bush Center hosts programs during school break

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission will be offering programs at the Discovery Center during the school break, from Dec. 26 to 30:

— The ninth annual Cookie Burner Stroll is on Tuesday, Dec. 26.  This 2.6-mile hike is for people 8 and older;

— The Karner Kids Film Festival starts on Wednesday, Dec. 27, with short films to inspire new creations. The film festival will take place in the summer of 2018, and will be an opportunity for kids ages 10 to 17 to submit short films about the Pine Bush Preserve. Films could feature wildlife, plants, history, personal experiences, or other Pine Bush-inspired themes; and

— Thursday and Friday, Dec. 28 and 29, will feature workshops designed to help youth create their own Pine Bush films. John Dorflinger of the Saratoga Film Academy will lead the film workshops, focusing on the basics of making a documentary, techniques for animation, apps for stop-motion animation, and equipment suggestions.

The Karner Kids Film Festival Kick Off and Film Workshops are free but all other programs this week are $3 per person and $5 per family with children under 5 years old admitted for free. Pre-registration is required for all programs. The Discovery Center is located at 195 New Karner Road. For more information and to sign up for any of these programs, go online to  www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events or call (518) 456-0655.

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