PHOTO COURTESY ATLANTIC WHITE SHARK CONSERVANCY
Anneliese McGowan and her shark friend share a bonding moment.
CHATHAM – The 2015 white shark research season is about to get underway and a special day of fun and learning will be held on Saturday in Chatham.
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and the Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary will host FINomenal Fest.
Atlantic White Shark Conservancy President Cynthia Wigren said there will be activities for all ages.
“We are doing an all-day event where we are going to have a movie filling up the Orpheum Theater in the morning,” she said. “Then we’ll do kids activities throughout the day at Kate Gould Park.”
FINomenal Fest will include shark activities, information, live music and shark tooth jewelry-making.
Wigren said the conservancy and wildlife sanctuary believe in teaching Chatham residents about the white shark.
“Both of our groups feel it is really important to educate the community where white sharks are present and white shark research is taking place,” she said.
Wigren said that a connection can be made between people and the role the white sharks play in the marine ecosystem in the area which can garner a respect for their presence in the waters.
“I think the more the people know about the sharks in the area the less fear there is,” she said.
The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at Kate Gould Park.
For more information and a schedule of events visit www.massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay or www.atlanticwhiteshark.org/finomenal-fest.
