Celebrating the 93rd Anniversary of Pluto’s Discovery
In less than a month, we will be celebrating the 3rd annual I Heart Pluto Festival! This three-day celebration will have food, drinks, presentations, live music, and more. Pluto lovers of all ages are sure to have a blast as we look back on the groundbreaking discovery that put our humble observatory on the map on February 18, 1930. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit iheartpluto.org!
Admission Options
❤︎ General Admission
$29 / Adult | $26 / Senior (55+) | $17 / Child (5-17)
Visitors can enjoy all of the events at Lowell Observatory for the regular price of general admission each day of the festival. Activities on our Mars Hill campus include science talks, kid-friendly science demonstrations, face painting, the unveiling of a brand-new exhibit, food trucks, and live music. Admission to the Night of Discovery event at Flagstaff’s historic Orpheum Theater on February 17 will be offered as a separate ticket, which can be purchased here. Read on to learn more about this special evening of science, history, and Pluto-themed cocktails!
★ VIP Pluto Experience
$110 / Members | $125 / Non-Members
For those looking to get some star treatment, we recommend the VIP Pluto Experience! This special ticket includes admission to all IHP activities at Lowell Observatory (February 18-20) and February 18 “Night of Discovery” event at the Orpheum Theater, a VIP tour for 1 person (per VIP ticket purchase), an exclusive Meet & Greet/Book Signing with “Night of Discovery” keynote presenter, Astronaut Nicole Stott at the Orpheum Theater, prior to the “Night of Discovery” event on February 18, 1 copy of Nicole Stott’s book Back to Earth for her to sign, 1 copy of Clyde Tombaugh’s Lowell Observatory employment letter from V.M. Slipher, 1 can of I Heart Pluto-themed beer, produced by Mother Road Brewery. Don’t wait to book your tickets — the VIP Pluto Experience requires advance reservation by Feb 10 and has limited spaces available.
Off-Campus Events & Activities
❤︎ Cheers to Pluto! Special Astronomy on Tap with Custom Pluto Brew
Mother Road Brewing Co. | February 16 @ 6pm
The festival kicks off at Mother Road Brewing Company, a local Flagstaff favorite! Mother Road will unveil its limited-edition beer, brewing exclusively for this year’s festival! Stick around learn about Clyde Tombaugh’s handmade telescope, a precious historical artifact that will soon be on display in Lowell Observatory’s Rotunda Museum.
- Mother Road: Special Lowell Observatory Beer Unveiled
Astronomy on Tap: - Learn About the Tombaugh 9″ Telescope – with Al Tombaugh, Clyde Tombaugh’s Son
❤︎ Pluto Pub Crawl
Downtown Flagstaff | February 17 @ 6pm
Explore Flagstaff’s finest pubs, bars, and brewhouses — in the shape of the Pluto symbol! After receiving a map of all participating destinations, you’ll be turned loose to enjoy historic downtown alongside fellow Pluto-lovers, and custom-made Pluto drinks and specials at all the stops. Along the way, you’ll find educators giving science talks, trivia, and more.
Check out our Pluto Pub Crawl page for the map, or look at any participating location:
1. Dark Sky Brewing
2. Hops on Birch
3. Rendezvous
4. Drinking Horn Meadery
5. Lumberyard Brewing Co
6. The Annex
7. Historic Barrel + Bottle Co
8. NiMarco’s Pizza
9. Mother Road Brewing Co
10. Flagstaff Brewing Co
❤︎ Night of Discovery
The Orpheum Theater | February 18 @ 6pm
Enjoy a night with Astronaut Nicole Stott, a NASA astronaut, aquanaut, and space artist who creatively combines the awe and wonder of her spaceflights and undersea adventures with her artwork to inspire people around the world.
Our I Heart Pluto Festival VIP Ticket-Holders will also enjoy an exclusive VIP Meet and Greet/Book Signing and Reception with Astronaut Nicole Stott ahead of the show.
After this program, Nicole will sign copies of her book, Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet―And Our Mission to Protect It. Copies of this book will be available for purchase at the Orpheum throughout the evening.
Enjoy our Keynote Speaker, a book signing, custom-crafted Pluto beer by Mother Road Brewing, an art show, axe-throwing, and more!
★ 4:30pm – 6pm: VIP Reception | VIP Pluto Experience ticket holders get an exclusive meet and greet, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres, axe-throwing, book signing, free samples of Pepsi’s brand new Starry drink
6pm: Doors Open | Enjoy axe-throwing, craft Pluto beer from Mother Road, IAAA art show, food truck, free samples of Pepsi’s brand new Starry drink.
7pm: Show Begins with Astronaut Nicole Stott
On-Campus Events & Activities at Lowell
❤︎ Saturday, February 18
Enjoy all-day festivities at Lowell Observatory!
BINGO Scavenger Hunt | All Day
Can you find five items in a row? Play our all-day scavenger hunt game to get in the running for fun prizes like stickers, Pluto toys, notebooks, and more. The more items you hunt down, the cooler prizes you are eligible to get!
Food Trucks:
Single Speed Coffee Roasters | All Day
Wil’s Grill | 11am – 1pm
Boricua Luna Caribbean Cuisine | 1pm – 8pm
★ VIP Tour | 10am – Noon
Get a star-studded VIP experience at the 2023 I Heart Pluto Festival! A VIP ticket grants single-person admission to all IHP activities at Lowell Observatory and the Orpheum Theater. VIP guests will also meet special guest Al Tombaugh, the son of Clyde Tombaugh!
Schedule:
– Check In at the Steele Visitors Center
– 10am: Tour of Lowell Observatory Archives
– 10:45am: Talk by Dr. Will Grundy, Co-Investigator of the New Horizons Mission
– 11:30am: Talk by Al Tombaugh (Clyde Tombaugh’s Son)
– 12:30pm: Dedication of the 9″ Tombaugh Telescope
The events conclude at 12:50pm.
Pluto Tours | 10:30am, Noon, 1:30pm, 3pm
Join Lowell Educators for our once a year, special Pluto tour! Follow in the footsteps of Clyde Tombaugh on the day of discovery, visit the less known relics of the search for planet X on Mars Hill, and learn what exactly it takes to find Pluto.
Pluto Activity Station | Noon – 4pm
Dry ice bubbles! Lowell educators will have a bubble making kit and a bunch of dry ice at a booth, we’ll be making special bubbles kids can hold in their hands using dry ice.
Witness Lowell history being made at the Rotunda Museum as the Tombaugh Telescope exhibit is unveiled! The exhibit will feature Clyde Tombaugh’s fully-functional homemade telescope, which was hand-assembled from scraps found around his family’s farm in Burdette, Kansas.
Live Music by Simon Cunningham | 5pm – 7pm
Go to the visitors center and enjoy live music by local artist Simon Cunningham, where he will be playing for two hours.
Henna Art | 4pm – 6pm
“Henna by Jenna” on site for fun henna art!
Facepainting | 4pm – 6pm
Face painting by RadiantArt.
Cosmic Cart | 6:15pm
Join Lowell educators for a series of hands-on, family friendly activities exploring the most extreme, coldest environments in our solar system. Experience ice on fire, dry ice like you’ve never seen before, and liquid nitrogen so cold that it shatters living material.
Livestream | 7pm
New Horizons: NASA’s Mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt
Interview with Alice Bowman, Engineer/New Horizons Mission Operations Manager, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
Science Talk | 8pm
A Personal Journey: From Engineering Student to Discovering Pluto’s Atmosphere
Introductions by Stephen Levine
Hear from Lowell’s Dr. Amanda Bosh to learn about her journey as a woman in the astronomical STEM field, and how she became a noted scientist and a Chief Operating Officer at Lowell Observatory.
Custom-Crafted Pluto Beer by Mother Road Brewing | More Information to Come
❤︎ Sunday, February 19
BINGO Scavenger Hunt | All Day
Can you find five items in a row? Play our all-day scavenger hunt game to get in the running for fun prizes like stickers, Pluto toys, notebooks, and more. The more items you hunt down, the cooler prizes you are eligible to get!
Food Trucks:
Single Speed Coffee Roasters | All Day
Boricua Luna Caribbean Cuisine | 1pm – 8pm
Pluto Tours | 10:30am, Noon, 1:30pm, 3pm
Join Lowell Educators for our once a year, special Pluto tour! Follow in the footsteps of Clyde Tombaugh on the day of discovery, visit the less known relics of the search for planet X on Mars Hill, and learn what exactly it takes to find Pluto.
Pluto Activity Station | Noon – 4pm
We will be using Clyde Tombaugh’s crow jokes as a lead in to talking about flight and aerodynamics, we will be providing paper airplane making supplies along with a few variables (paperclip weights, folded wing tips) to guide participants through making their best, most aerodynamic airplane.
Live Music by Black Lemon | 1pm – 3pm
Go to the visitors center and enjoy live music by local band Black Lemon.
Henna Art | 4pm – 6pm
“Henna by Jenna” on site for fun henna art!
Facepainting | 4pm – 6pm
Face painting by RadiantArt.
Cosmic Cart | 6:15pm
Join Lowell educators for a series of hands-on, family friendly activities exploring the most extreme, coldest environments in our solar system. Experience ice on fire, dry ice like you’ve never seen before, and liquid nitrogen so cold that it shatters living material.
Livestream: “The Future of New Horizons: An Interview with Dr. Alan Stern” | 7pm
An interview by Melissa Sevigny (Science Reporter at KNAU) with Dr. Alan Stern about the future of New Horizons. Q&A and chat questions encouraged.
Science Talk: The Latest News From Pluto and Arrokath, featuring Dr. Stephen Levine | 8pm
Hear from Lowell’s Dr. Will Grundy about the latest updates scientists have on Pluto and Arrokath, the second celestial object that New Horizons flew by after its trip to Pluto.
Monday, February 20
BINGO Scavenger Hunt | All Day
Can you find five items in a row? Play our all-day scavenger hunt game to get in the running for fun prizes like stickers, Pluto toys, notebooks, and more. The more items you hunt down, the cooler prizes you are eligible to get!
Food Trucks:
Single Speed Coffee Roasters | All Day
Boricua Luna Caribbean Cuisine | 1pm – 8pm
Pluto Tours | 11am – 3pm
Get a special Pluto Tour of the Pluto Dome where Pluto was discovered, the Tombaugh Apartment (where Clyde Tombaugh lived when he discovered Pluto!) and the blink comparator, which was recently returned from the Smithsonian.
Pluto Activity Station | Noon – 4pm
Live Music by Eric Caroffino | 5pm – 7pm
Go to the visitors center and enjoy live music by local artist Eric Caroffino, where he will be playing for two hours (with some special Pluto-focused songs as well!).
Cosmic Cart | 6:15pm
Join Lowell educators for a series of hands-on, family friendly activities exploring the most extreme, coldest environments in our solar system. Experience ice on fire, dry ice like you’ve never seen before, and liquid nitrogen so cold that it shatters living material.
Livestream: “New Horizons: NASA’s Mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt” | 7pm
Interview with Alice Bowman, Engineer/New Horizons Mission Operations Manager, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
Science Talk | 8pm
Dr. Amanda Bosh, Planetary Scientist/Chief Operating Officer, Lowell Observatory