Madera Fossil Discovery Center plans special day

The Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County will be having a family event on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate National Fossil Day. There are several new and interesting displays about the ice age animals that roamed the San Joaquin Valley 700,000 years ago. Come and see the 14-foot tall Columbian mammoth or the 12-foot short-faced bear.

There will be many hands-on activities for the whole family. A “screen washing machine” will be operating all day. Watch as real fossils appear for the first time from ancient sediment. Try throwing the Atlatl, a prehistoric weapon used to bring down some of these ancient creatures. Take a very close look at fossils through a microscope and magnifying glasses, or look and touch fossils, rocks and minerals on the touch tables. Take a tour through the paleontology lab and see how paleontologists prepare fossils. The popular mock dig is free.

Come and excavate replicas of saber-toothed cats, camels and dire wolves.

There will also be live animals from the Chaffee Zoo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Among other activities, there will be chalk drawing and Indian bead-making. Free popcorn will be available.

For more information, call (559) 665-7107.

This story was originally published October 15, 2014 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Madera Fossil Discovery Center plans special day."