Weather was good for last year’s Fresh Pond Day. (Photo: City of Cambridge)

Fresh Pond Reservation, which protects the city’s drinking water supply, is critical wildlife habitat and provides Cantabrigians with green recreation space, gets its eighth annual Fresh Pond Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 30.

The free, all-ages event, sponsored by the Cambridge Water Department, has a variety of activities:

Stories with Doria at 11:30 a.m.
Wildflower walkabouts at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Wildlife parade at 12:30 p.m. (People are encouraged to bring costumes, but there will be an area set up to make signs and masks)
Live wildlife demonstrations from 1 to 3 p.m.
Treatment facility tour at 1 p.m. (An open house at the facility all day)
Bee Hive talk and tour at 1 p.m.
Bicycle parade at 1:30 p.m. (Bikes can be decorated at the flair station)
Kingsley Park restoration tour at 2 p.m.
Nature drawing at 2 p.m.

All-day highlights include live music by Lux, the Second Line Social Aid & Pleasure Society Brass Band and the Wicked Pickers; kids’ activities such as a StoryWalk and book giveaway and face painting; truck climb-aboards; bike tune-up and flair stations (which can be used to take part in the 1:30 p.m. bicycle parade); dog-training clinics; pedicab rides; and a chance to meet city staff and community groups.

People are also invited to bring a picnic. Dogs can be brought, but must be leashed.

The festivities are held around the Water Treatment Facility at 250 Fresh Pond Parkway. Use of public transit and bicycles to get to the event is strongly encouraged, especially for those wanting to participate in the bike parade. Visitors arriving by car are asked to park at the Tobin School on 197 Vassal Lane.

Rain cancels the event. For schedule and weather updates, or to get involved, click here or call Kirsten Lindquist at (617) 349-6489 or send email to her here.

This post was written from a press release.