Programs
Bartram Bio Bash 2026
September 25–27, 2026
Fontainebleau State Park (Group Camp #3)
Mandeville, LA
Join Pelican Park, Fontainebleau State Park, and Wild Ones Pontchartrain Basin for an immersive weekend spent learning about and exploring Louisiana’s natural world! Come for the day, or stay overnight at the on-site campground or dormitory. From expert-led talks and guided hikes to immersive field trips and scenic paddles, the Bartram Biobash offers something for all nature lovers!
Registration
Weekend pass, no lodging: free.
Weekend pass, tent camping: $35 per person (Kids under 10 free)
Weekend pass, dormitory bed: $75 per person (Ages 18+ only)
Registration covers one person for both nights. Light food is provided for registered participants regardless of registration type. Please register on this page!
Find the Bartram Bio Bash on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/193dvUUV86/
“We rested quietly, though sometimes roused by alarms from the alligator, which are here in great numbers, and of an enormous bulk and strength.”
-William Bartram in Bartram’s Travels, describing a night sleeping on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in 1775.
Note:
Bartram Bio Bash - Fall 2026 Schedule -
Friday, September 25
3:00pm Camp Check-In (late arrivals until 9:00 PM)
6:30pm Keynote: The Historic Natural Character of St. Tammany Parish — Latimore Smith
8:00pm Night Hike — Dr. Craig Hood
8:00pm Moth Sheeting — Linda Auld & Bill Wimley
Observe moths and other nocturnal insects attracted to illuminated sheets.
Saturday, September 26
7:00am Coffee & Donuts
7:00am Bird Walk — Shae Freeman
8:30am Yoga — Liz Zereteke
9:00am Medicinal & Edible Louisiana Plants — Sophia Forstall
9:45am Louisiana Mushrooms — Jordan Gros
10:00am Nature Journaling — Alicia Barnes
10:00am Kids Scavenger Hunt — Ranger Garrett
10:00am Insects: A Natural History Tour of Form and Function — Bill Wimley
10:00am Exhibitor Expo featuring local businesses and conservation organizations.
11:00am On Wings of a Prayer (Butterflies) — Craig Marks
11:00am Medicinal Plants & Mushroom Hike — Sophia Forstall & Jordan Gros
11:30am Kids Art Activity — Stephanie Head
1:00am Presentation — Dr. Eva Hillmann (TBA)
1:00am Live Animals — Nature on the Geaux
1:00am Insect & Nature Hike — Linda Auld & Craig Marks
2:00am Venomous Snakes of Louisiana — Alex Landry
3:00pm Homegrown National Park — Patricia Zebrick
3:00pm Pond Ecology & Dip Netting — Lisa Landry
3:00pmSmall Scale Wonders of the Natural World — Nate Bonnett
4:00pm Bats — Becky Larkins
4:30pm Rewilding Our Neighborhoods: Why Native Plants Matter — Erin Staub
5:00pm Moonlight Paddle (additional registration required at www.canoeandtrail.com/bartrambiobash)
6:00pm Kids Crepuscular Hike — Ranger Garrett Shelton
6:15pm Luminescence & Fluorescence in Nature — Leon Zebrick
7:00pm Keynote: Fireside Storytelling — Grayhawk Perkins
9:00pm Night Hike
9:00pm Moth Sheeting — Linda Auld & Bill Wimley
Sunday, September 27
7:30am Coffee & Donuts
10:00am Longleaf Pine Hike — Southern Wild (location TBD)
10:00am Paddle Cane Bayou — Canoe & Trail Adventures (additional registration required at www.canoeandtrail.com/bartrambiobash)
10:00am Plants with a Purpose — Ranger Garrett Shelton, Fontainebleau State Park Visitor Center
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Program Type | Nature Programs |
| Program Subcategory | - |
| Program Code | 2026NP |
| Online Registration | Yes |
| Enrollment Begin Date | 6/1/2026 |
| Enrollment End Date | 9/27/2026 |
| Instructor(s) | - |
| Gender | Any Gender |
| Grade Minimum | |
| Maximum | |
| Age Minimum | - |
| Maximum | - |
| Standard Fee | Residency Restriction | Membership Restrictions | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartram - <10 Y.O. | -None- |
-None-
|
$0.00 |
| Bartram - Dorm Bed | -None- |
-None-
|
$75.00 |
| Bartram - Tent Camping | -None- |
-None-
|
$35.00 |
| Bartram - Day Pass/No Lodging | -None- |
-None-
|
$0.00 |
| Date | Day | Start Time | End Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09/25/2026 | Friday | 3:00 PM | 11:59 PM | Fontainebleau State Park |
| 09/26/2026 | Saturday | 12:00 AM | 11:59 PM | Fontainebleau State Park |
| 09/27/2026 | Sunday | 12:00 AM | 2:00 PM | Fontainebleau State Park |
