MASSENA—The New York Power Authority (NYPA) will hold its annual Wildlife Festival at the Frank S. McCullough, Jr. Hawkins Point visitors center on Saturday, September 28, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The free community event will feature a petting zoo, bounce houses, wagon rides, chainsaw carvings, nature displays, and arts and crafts activities. Additionally, a variety of animals and displays will be provided by representatives from the Nicandri Nature Center, the World of Wildlife and Educational Encounters, Reptiles Forever and Her-petology, among others.

Hawkins Point, the admission-free visitors center for the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project, offers many hands-on exhibits on electricity, energy, the environment, and area history. Visitors can hop aboard a bicycle generator and turn pedal-power into electricity or have a hair-raising experience with static electricity using the Van de Graaff generator.

The visitors center also features an audio-visual terrain map that charts the course of the mighty St. Lawrence River between Ogdensburg and Massena. A wood-carved map detailing Jacques Cartier’s exploration of the St. Lawrence River is also on display at Hawkins Point. Visitors can also enjoy panoramic views of the project’s power dam. A community room is also available for public use. 

For more information about the visitors center, or to book a tour, please call 315-764-0226, extension 7166302