EMPIRE, MI - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is unfurling a bevy of events to thrill dark-sky lovers as it kicks off a series of Star Parties, Night Sky gatherings, and even its first-ever astronomy festival.

The popular park is hosting them under the banner of its "Celestial Centennial Summer," a celebratory nod to the National Park Service's 100th anniversary. The monthly programs start this weekend, and run through October.

Sleeping Bear is well-known as a summer playground, drawing crowds to its 35 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and diverse mix of dunes, forest paths and inland lakes and rivers.

But it's also a gem for dark-sky lovers. Unhindered by urban light pollution, the park offers expansive views of the night sky, whether you're perched on a dune trail or tucked up with a blanket on the beach below.

One Northern Michigan astronomer called it the "perfect place to observe the heavens and contemplate the universe."

And while there are great places in Sleeping Bear to star-gaze in solitude - see this list of great spots - the park's events offer participants the help of rangers and members of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society to unravel the secrets of the night sky.

The evening lineups will offer chances for seeing eclipses, meteor showers, storytelling, and more.

It's also a way to showcase how national parks protect these dark areas, similar to Michigan's expanding network of dark sky preserves, and the Headlands Dark Sky Park near Mackinaw City, which has an international designation.

Sleeping Bear's Celestial Centennial Summer events are as follows:

All of these programs are free. Participants must have a park entrance pass displayed in their vehicle.

Star-gazers are asked to bring a flashlight and bug spray, if needed. Binoculars, beach chairs, a blanket and water bottle also are good to pack.

Park rangers and astronomy club staff will wear red glow necklaces at the events for easy identification and to assist visitors.

If an event is cancelled due to bad weather, a voicemail message will usually be posted two hours in advance. Please call park rangers at 231-326-4700, ext. 5005, for information concerning possible cancellations.