Summer in Yosemite has a series of events that take place with a celebratory joy: Glacier Point Road opens followed often by Tioga Road and with them the return of High Sierra adventures.
Then a few days or weeks pass (depending on the snow pack of the winter) and the Conservancy donor supported Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series begins again. Every year a line up of thought provoking speakers, quixotic poets, and sublime musicians grace the space within and around the historic lodge.
The 2025 Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series continues this tradition with another exceptional schedule of events on weekends from July 19 through August 17. All events are free and open to the public.
Important note for anyone who is interested in attending for the first time: Parsons Memorial Lodge is about a half hour stroll from the closest parking lot.
Once you have made your way across scenic Tuolumne Meadows, Parsons Memorial Lodge awaits you on the other side of the Tuolumne River. Inside the doorway, sunshine spills across the large open room.
Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series 2025
Saturday, July 19 
Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
A talk by Dacher Keltner, author and professor of psychology, University of California, Berkeley
High Sierra Harmonies
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
An evening of folk music with the Pacific Wrens, the mother-daughter duo Beth and Fiona Gillogly
Sunday, July 20
The Backyard Bird Chronicles
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Join New York Times bestselling author Amy Tan for a talk about her latest book.
Saturday, July 26
Re-Enchanting the Sentient World to Heal Our Disenchanted Times
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
A talk by David James Duncan, author of The River Why, The Brothers K, River Teeth, My Story as Told by Water, God Laughs & Plays, and most recently Sun House
Sunday, July 27
Resilient Things with Scaled Wings: Exploring Butterflies of the Sierra Nevada
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
A talk by T. Will Richardson, Ph.D., Executive Director, Tahoe Institute for Natural Science
Saturday, August 2
From Mono Lake to Mar Chiquita: A Future for Phalaropes and Saline Lakes
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
A talk by Ryan Carle, Science Director, Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge
Sunday, August 3
Songs for Tuolumne
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
An afternoon of mountain bluegrass music with the Tioga Ramblers
Saturday, August 9
Alpine Inspiration: A Wellness Retreat in the Meadows
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Mindfulness practice with Heather Sullivan, Executive Director and co-founder of Balanced Rock; bring a yoga mat or blanket, pen and paper, water, and appropriate layers of clothing.
Winter in Tuolumne Meadows
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
A glimpse into the world of Yosemite’s Winter Rangers, Rob and Laura Pilewski
Sunday, August 10
The Life of a Gibbon
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
A life shared by Ken Yager, climber and founder of the Yosemite Climbing Museum
Saturday & Sunday, August 16 & 17
29th Annual Tuolumne Meadows Poetry Festival
Morning workshops and afternoon readings with music featuring poets Jane Hirshfield, J. Drew Lanham, Ada Limón, and musician Shira Kammen
Saturday, August 16
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. You Are Here: Writing Toward the World Poetry workshop with Ada Limón
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Featured poets and music
Sunday, August 17
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. A Feel Guide to the Birds: A Lyrical Journey into Identifying with Birds Poetry workshop with J. Drew Lanham and Krissy Kludt
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Featured poets and music
Featured photograph on the Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series 2025 flyer (and this webpage) created by Laura Pilewski. The Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series is funded in part by Conservancy donors through the Culture Connections Event Series which includes other public events such as the Obata Art Weekend, Knap-In, Yosemite Art Trail, and Bilingual Interpretive Events.
