Families invited to learn about their favorite marine mammal, support small businesses, enter a children’s art contest, play trivia, win prizes and more
Boca Raton, FL – Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center® is celebrating ManateeFest and its 5th anniversary with five days of free family fun. This year, the event will focus on giving back to the community, supporting small businesses, and educating families about the Florida manatee. The free virtual festivities will launch on visitmanateelagoon.com/manateefest on Monday, Feb. 1, with activities running through Friday, Feb. 5.
Manatee Lagoon is committed to helping its environmental partners, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the week of ManateeFest, Manatee Lagoon is launching a virtual storefront so manatee lovers can learn and support environmental organizations and small businesses who share the same passion for helping the environment. The storefront will feature a variety of environmental and marine-themed exhibitors and vendors to explore.
WHERE: All information on daily lessons and weeklong activities can be accessed at
Visitmanateelagoon.com/manateefest and Manatee Lagoon’s Facebook page.
DAILY LESSONS:
Tune in to Manatee Lagoon’s Facebook page every day at 3 p.m. to hear from one of Manatee Lagoon’s Manatee Master educators and learn more about manatees and the Lake Worth Lagoon. All videos are prerecorded and no registration is required to tune in.
- Monday, Feb. 1: Manatee Art Lesson– Follow along from home as one of Manatee Lagoon’s Manatee Master art instructors teaches viewers how to paint or draw a celebratory anniversary manatee design. Children can gather supplies of their own, or parents can register here for a free art kit to be mailed directly to their house in advance of the lesson. The deadline to register for an art kit is 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 22. There is a limit of one art kit per household, while supplies last.
- Tuesday, Feb. 2: Manatee Tales Story Time – Listen as a Manatee Master storyteller reads from a colorful book sharing a story about various aquatic species that live in the Lake Worth Lagoon and the waters beyond.
- Wednesday, Feb. 3: Aquaria Fish Feeding– Experience the wonders of the ocean as a Manatee Master introduces viewers to some of the resident critters in the fish tanks at Manatee Lagoon.
- Thursday, Feb. 4: Virtual Manatee Lagoon Visit and Q&A – Listen to a Manatee Master as they share cool facts about manatees and other local marine life. A Manatee Master will be monitoring the Facebook comment box from 3 – 3:30 p.m. to answer viewers’ manatee-related questions.
- Friday, Feb. 5: All About Manatees Presentation – Explore the fascinating Florida manatee with this fun, yet in-depth virtual look at their biology and behavior, including when and why these animals frequent the waters surrounding Manatee Lagoon.
WEEKLONG ACTIVITIES & MORE:
- Virtual Photo Booth: Snap a free photo and decorate it with your favorite backgrounds and stickers throughout the week. Feel free to share your masterpieces on social media and tag @ManateeLagoon.
- Manatee Trivia: Test your family’s manatee and Lake Worth Lagoon knowledge all week long. The first five people to receive the highest scores each day will win a prize. Trivia games will open each day at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. See official trivia rules here.
- “What I Love About Manatees” Children’s Art Contest (Feb. 1 – 28): Show your love for manatees by participating in Manatee Lagoon’s first-ever children’s art contest. More information, including contest rules, age categories, entry deadline and prizes will be announced on the ManateeFest website page on Monday, Feb. 1.
About Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center®
Manatee Lagoon has been educating the public about manatees and Lake Worth Lagoon for five years, and inspiring communities to preserve and protect Florida’s environment and wildlife for future generations. On cold winter days, the facility’s observation deck is the ideal spot to view manatee herds basking in the warm-water outflows from Florida Power & Light Company’s adjacent Riviera Beach Next Generation Clean Energy Center. The center offers two levels of exhibit and event space, an observation deck to observe manatees in the lagoon, a picnic area, solar pavilions and a gift shop. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Manatee Lagoon is currently closed to the public until further notice. For more information, visit visitmanateelagoon.com and to explore virtual offerings, visit visitmanateelagoon.com/virtual-learning.
Please visit visitmanateelagoon.com/manateefest for more information about the event and share via social media at facebook.com/events/879085216198850.