Summer in Yosemite National Park unfolds in the return of familiar rhythms — snowmelt-fed rivers, high country trails reopening, and long, sunlit days in the Sierra. And, of course, the Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series.
Set in the heart of Tuolumne Meadows, this beloved, Conservancy-donor supported program brings together scientists, artists, writers, and musicians for a series of thought-provoking and inspiring talks set inside the historic Parsons Memorial Lodge.
The 2026 Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series will take place over five weekends in July and August — with the first event on July 18, and the final event on August 16.
This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Annual Tuolumne Meadows Poetry Festival, which takes place on the final weekend of the events series. See the full schedule below or in the flyer to the right.
If it’s your first time attending, please note that the Parsons Memorial Lodge is about a 30 minute stroll (~0.75 miles) from the closest parking lot. Visit the NPS website to learn more about the hike to the Lodge, and continue reading below to find the event lineup for 2026.
All events are free and open to the public!
2026 Schedule: Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series
SATURDAY, JULY 18
Flourishing Kin: Indigenous Wisdom for Collective Well-Being
2:00–3:30 pm
Storytelling, dreams, and myths with Yuria Celidwen (Nahua/Maya Bats’il K’op), author and research scientist specializing in Indigenous nature-based contemplation.
SUNDAY, JULY 19
Alpine Inspiration: A Wellness Retreat in the Meadows
10:00–11:30 am
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.
Across Yosemite’s Wilderness: A Trailblazing Woman’s Life & Career Protecting the Park’s Backcountry
2:00–3:30 pm
A talk by Laurel Munson Boyers, author and career Park Ranger.
FRIDAY, JULY 24
Improvisation as a Lifestyle
6:00–8:00 pm
An interactive music performance by Joe Craven.
SATURDAY, JULY 25
Writing the Animal
10:00–11:30 am
A generative workshop with writer Erica Berry.
What Wolves Can Teach Us About Thinking Kaleidoscopically
2:00–3:30 pm
A talk by author Erica Berry.
SUNDAY, JULY 26
Life Cycles of Mountain Birds: Finding the Marvelous in the Mundane
2:00–3:30 pm
A talk by Tom Hahn, ornithologist and professor, University of California, Davis.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1
Songs of the Wilderness: Inside and Out
2:00–3:30 pm
A performance by singer-songwriter Deborah Levoy.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
South to the High Sierra
2:00–3:30 pm
A generative workshop with writer Erica Berry.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Yosemite Wildlife
2:00–3:00 pm | A talk by author Beth Pratt.
3:15 – 4:00 pm | A talk by photographer Robb Hirsch.
Reception and Yosemite Wildlife book signing to follow.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 9
What an Owl Knows
2:00–3:30 pm
A talk by author and science writer Jennifer Ackerman.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
30th Annual Tuolumne Meadows Poetry Festival, day 1
10:00–11:30 am | Poetry workshop with Michael Metivier.
2:00–3:30 pm | Featured poets and music (Rachel Richardson and/or Shira Kammen).
SUNDAY, AUGUST 16
30th Annual Tuolumne Meadows Poetry Festival, day 2
10:00–11:30 am | Poetry workshop with Heather Swan.
2:00–3:30 p.m. Featured poets and music (Rachel Richardson and/or Shira Kammen).
Featured photograph at the top of this webpage and the Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series 2026 flyer courtesy of Rob Hirsch. Graphic design of the Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series 2026 flyer by Jim Cokas.
The Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series is made possible by the National Park Service and through the generosity of Yosemite Conservancy donors and Friends of Parsons Lodge. The summer series is funded in part by Yosemite Conservancy donors through the Yosemite Art and Traditions program, which also supports other public events including the Obata Art Weekend, Knap-In, Yosemite Art Trail, and Bilingual Interpretive Events.
