SUNBURY — A Purple Tie Dinner on May 1 at the Front Street Station in Northumberland will kick off the season for the Friends of Shikellamy State Park.

“We’re not formal enough for a black-tie dinner,” said Margaret Mitchell, of Winfield, a member of the group.

The event will include a cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., followed by the dinner at 7 and music for listening and dancing by the Ann Kerstetter Band. Tickets for the entire event are $22, and for the music only, at 8 p.m., $10.

Reservations for the dinner may be made online at www.friendsofshikellamystatepark.org.

Coming into its third year, the friends group exists to encourage others to take advantage of the park.

“The river is great, and the park offers great access,” Mitchell said.

She said membership in the group has grown steadily as more people take advantage of the monthly Sunday brunches, concerts at Shikellamy Overlook and other events sponsored by the organization.

“The concerts on the overlook are very popular,” she said. “The overlook is getting more attention, with its great views of the area. It’s just gorgeous up there.”

The friends group must be doing something right. On Monday, the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation in Harrisburg announced it had awarded the group its annual Friends Group Improvement Award “for its work to enhance public awareness and stewardship of the park through the implementation of a variety of public programs.”

A new feature this season is a “Paddle Between Parks,” scheduled for Aug. 2. Canoes and kayaks will travel down the West Branch of the Susquehanna River from the Milton State Park to the Shikellamy State Park, leaving Milton at 7 a.m.

The Summer Solstice Celebration will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. June 20, and there will be a Fall Equinox Celebration on Sept. 19, with times to be announced later. The final seasonal event is the Harvest Festival from noon to 4 Oct. 11.

Two special events, one a Woodstock-themed musical show celebrating the 40th anniversary of the famous concert, and the other a World Music program, are planned, pending approval from the state.

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Monthly activities