Contact:

Michael Hoke, Managing Director

(409) 670 - 9113

 

 

ORANGE, Texas, October 2, 2009--Stargazers are invited to explore the beautiful night sky at the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center “Star Party” on Thursday, October 22, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the Shangri La courtyard, located at 2111 West Park Avenue in Orange, Texas. The event is free and open to the public. No reservations are needed.

 

The Astronomical Society of South East Texas (ASSET) will be on-site to help guests view objects in the night sky. ASSET President Lonnie Mosley said, “Participants will be able to view craters on the moon, double-stars and the wonderful Orion Nebula. This will also give participants a chance to observe Jupiter. Also, there is a slight chance that Shangri La’s guests will be able to catch part of the Orionid Meteor Shower which officially peaks on October 21.

 

Because the sky is never static, stargazers enjoy an ever-changing array of constellations each season. With the guidance of ASSET members visitors will be able to observe a variety of objects not visible with the naked eye.

 

ASSET will provide approximately 15 telescopes for visitors to use at the Star Party. The telescopes range in size from 3 to 20 inches, with some so tall that a ladder will be provided. ASSET will also provide strong astronomical binoculars and will use lasers to point out objects in the sky. Visitors wishing to bring their own telescopes must contact Shangri La at 409.670.9113 to secure a viewing spot. Visitors are also welcome to bring flashlights, and ASSET will provide red filters for them so they do not obstruct viewers’ night vision.

 

The Garden Store and Star and Crescent Moon Café located inside Shangri La will remain open during the Star Party.

 

Use of the Shangri La Visitor Parking lot is free. To park at Shangri La, visitors should follow the signs and park at the Shangri La Visitor Parking lot located across West Park Avenue from the Shangri La entrance. After parking, visitors should follow the boardwalk to the crosswalk at the intersection of West Park Ave. and 20^th Street for passage to the pedestrian entryway into Shangri La. A restricted access parking lot for vehicles with proper handicap designation is located just inside the vehicular entrance gate of Shangri La.

  

For more information, including admission and tour details, please visit www.shangrilagardens.org or call 409.670.9113.

Nestled within 252 acres in the heart of Orange, Texas, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is a program of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, a private foundation whose mission is to improve and enrich the quality of life in Southeast Texas and encourage and assist education. The unique ecosystem of Shangri La presents an ideal opportunity to further that mission as well as carry on the vision of H.J Lutcher Stark, the man who originally developed the gardens more than 60 years ago.
 
Amid nature's pristine ecosystems, the formal gardens at Shangri La reflect a use of more than 300 plant species to paint beautiful landscapes among a series of theme-based garden rooms.  Around every corner a new vista awaits the visitor with exquisite sculptures, a great lawn, serene waterscapes reflecting beautiful colors and a Cypress Gate framing blooming plants and soaring birds. The Nature Center includes Adams Bayou boat excursions to educational outposts, a 15-acre Beaver Pond, a state-of-the-art bird blind, a bat house, and more up-close encounters with nature.
 
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is the first project in Texas and the 50th project in the world to earn the U.S. Green Building Council's Platinum Certification for LEED®-NC, which verifies that the design and construction of Shangri La reached the highest green building and performance measures.  Shangri La was also named by the American Institute of Architects and its Committee on the Environment as one of the top 10 green projects throughout the world.
 
Shangri La offers a glimpse of how people can live in harmony with nature, as it strives in its mission to Mentor Children of All Ages to Be Kind to Their World.
 
Other programs of the Stark Foundation include the Stark Museum of Art, The W.H. Stark House and the Frances Ann Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts.