1st Thursday Speaker Series

When: Thursday, June 2 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Where: Bull Run Unitarian Universalist Church, 9350 Main Street, Manassas

Speaker: Jon Ellifritz, Mycological Association of Washington

Mushrooms come in all sorts of shapes, colors and sizes. You can see them everywhere - under trees, in the meadow and on your front lawn.

All are essential for recycling organic materials. Without them, we would be buried in old branches and fallen leaves.

Some mushrooms are a key ingredient in many tasty dishes, perfect for soaking up sauces and dressing up an everyday recipe. But beware of picking your own. Some mushrooms are delicious but others are deadly and it's often difficult to separate look-alike species.

Join us on the first Thursday in June to learn more about the fascinating fungi found in Northern Virginia.

When: Saturday, June 18, 7:30 pm

Where: Occoquan Town Hall, 314 Mill Street, Town of Occoquan

We'll look for birds and other wildlife, especially butterflies, as we travel through the uplands to the edge of the floodplain, covering a variety of habitats, including open fields and woodland edges. Everyone is welcome.

Dress for the weather, bring binoculars and cameras. More info and RSVP (not required) to PWCA , 703.499.4954 or alliance(at)pwconserve.org.

When: Saturday, June 18, 7:30 pm

Where: Occoquan Town Hall, 314 Mill Street, Town of Occoquan

PechaKucha Nights are informal gatherings where creative people get together and share their ideas, works, experiences and thoughts in the PechaKucha 20x20 format.

PechaKucha 20X20 is a simple presentation format where you show 20 images, each for 20 seconds. All the presentations are timed, the slides move forward automatically. Each presentation is a total of six minutes 40 seconds long.

You won't want to miss Nature Night, featuring presentations by:

Mike May - Around the World in 6 Minutes

Ernie Sears - Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge

Amy Wilson - Exploring Nature with Kids

Harry Glasgow - Trees as Infrastructure

Julia Flanagan - Warbler Invasion

Liz Cronauer - Sustainable Trails

Earnie Porta - Transits of Venus

Amy Friends - Louisiana Birds

Mike Crosby - Macro Nature

Kim Hosen - Got Wildlife?

Sandy Jeter - Waterfalls