From press release

Ten of the world’s best-known dinosaur hunters and paleontologists will gather at Rockford’s Burpee Museum of Natural History on the weekend of March 6 and 7 to tell dinosaur tales and host interactive workshops.

These fascinating scientists will present, debate and discuss developing new knowledge about how these great creatures stalked the long-ago world. And all of this takes place at the Burpee Museum, 737 N. Main St., Rockford.

PaleoFest is fun for the whole family with Paleo Talks, Family Workshops, special DinoBlast passport activities for children to learn cool facts about dinosaurs, and new this year—Children’s Lecture “Walk Like a Dinosaur” and an artist’s studio for junior and senior high school students.

PaleoFest hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, March 6 and 7.

DinoBlast activities are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, March 6 and 7.

PaleoFest admission

Admission is $6/non-members, free to members. Admission is required to attend PaleoFest. Admission includes all DinoBlast activities for kids each day.

Lectures offer three options:

→ Two-day package: $65/ non-member, $55/member. Includes admission to all lectures on both Saturday and Sunday and Museum admission.

→ One-day package: $35/non-member, $30/member. Includes admission to all lectures on either Saturday or Sunday and Museum admission.

→ Individual tickets: $10/non-member, $9/member. Includes admission to the selected lecture. Does not include Museum admission, which must be purchased.

Family workshops

Individual tickets: $10/non-member, $8/member. Includes admission to the selected workshop. Does not include Museum admission, which must be purchased.

VIP reception and mixer

Wrap up Paleo-Saturday in Burpee’s Mahlburg Auditorium, 8-10 p.m. Book signing and photo opportunities with PaleoFest presenters. All ages welcome. $10 per person includes beverages.

If a full day of dinosaur-talk will not fit in your schedule, join Burpee just for Saturday evening’s Dinner Talk, Saturday, March 6 at Memorial Hall, 211 N. Main St. Enjoy a buffet dinner followed by an engaging talk by Dr. Phillip Curry, University of Alberta, Dr. Curry will guide us into the world of Komodo Dragons, intercontinental theropods, and the centenary of Barnum Brown’s discovery of the Albertosaurus Bonebed.

Doors open at 5:45 p.m. at Memorial Hall, and dinner buffet opens at 6:15 p.m. Balcony/lecture seating opens at 7 p.m. Cost of dinner/lecture is $40/non-member, $30/member; lecture only, $20 non-member, $15/member.

General museum information

Hours are Monday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $6 adults and $5 children ages 3-17. Annual membership is $60 for families or grandparents and $50 for individuals. Free parking is available at Burpee Museum at 737 N. Main St. or in Riverfront Museum Park parking lot at 711 N. Main St. For more info, call (815) 965-3433 or log on to www.burpee.org ^[1].

From the Mar. 3-9, 2010 issue