2023 North Carolina Statewide Star Party

Celebrating the Night Sky

Photo Credit: Tyler Nordgren

Thanks to generous grant support from the North Carolina Space Grant, the 2023 North Carolina Science Festival will again feature the Statewide Star Party as a signature initiative.

During this 11th annual Statewide Star Party, 35 hosts will offer public skywatching events across North Carolina. Star Party hosts include state and local parks, colleges and universities, planetariums, science centers, nature centers, and libraries. About 3,500 visitors are expected to participate.

The 11th annual North Carolina Statewide Star Party, a signature event of the 2023 NCSciFest will be held Friday, April 21, and Saturday, April 22, 2023. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Night Sky.”

 

2023 Statewide Star Party Locations

Click here to find a Statewide Star Party event near you.

 

County City Organization
Alamance Graham Three College Observatory
Buncombe Asheville University of North Carolina Asheville
Cabarrus Harrisburg Cabarrus County Public Libraries
Camden South Mills Dismal Swamp State Park
Carteret Harkers Island Crystal Coast Star Gazers
Craven Havelock Craven Community College - Havelock Campus
Cumberland Hope Mills Cumberland County Public Library
Dare Nags Head Jockey's Ridge State Park
Duplin Beulaville Science Alliance of Eastern NC
Durham Durham City of Durham
Forsyth Winston-Salem Kaleidium North
Granville Creedmoor Triangle Land Conservancy
Guilford Greensboro Greensboro Science Center
Guilford Jamestown Guilford Technical Community College
Iredell Troutman Lake Norman State Park
Jackson Dillsboro Southwestern Community College 
Lee Sanford Lee County Libraries
Mecklenburg Charlotte UNC Charlotte
Montgomery Mount Gilead Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site
Nash Nashville Town of Nashville
New Hanover Carolina Beach Cape Fear Museum of History and Science
Onslow Swansboro Hammocks Beach State Park
Orange Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Public Library
Pasquotank Elizabeth City College of the Albemarle
Pitt Grifton NC Museum of Natural Sciences at Contentnea Creek
Robeson Lumberton Robeson County Planetarium and Science Center
Rowan China Grove Rowan Public Library System
Surry Pinnacle Pilot Mountain State Park
Vance Henderson Kerr Lake State Recreation Area and Perry Memorial Library
Wake Raleigh NC Museum of Natural Sciences at Prairie Ridge Ecostation
Wake Garner Garner Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources
Wayne Seven Springs Cliffs of the Neuse State Park
Wilkes Purlear Appalachian State University Dark Sky Observatory
Wilson Wilson Imagination Station Science and History Museum
Yancey Burnsville Mayland Earth to Sky Park

 

For more information, please contact:
Amy Sayle
Coordinator, NC Statewide Star Party
Email: starparty@unc.edu 

The Statewide Star Party is made possible with the support of NC Space Grant and the NC Science Festival.

Click here for Star Party kit materials (including previous years)

Illustration Credit: Tyler Nordgren