Pumpkin Hunt!
2025-10-31 10:30 - 17:00 UTC
🎃 Special Event – Halloween Pumpkin Hunt at the DVEC! 👻
Join us for a spooktacular Halloween adventure at the Disease Vector Education Center! Hidden around the center are pumpkins waiting to be found—each one hiding a surprise inside!
🕸️ Event Details:
📅 October 31st, 2025
⏰ Starts at 10:30 AM
*While supplies last*
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Bring your trick-or-treat bags and hunt for pumpkins filled with tricks and treats! Turn them in to claim your prize!
Face painting will be available until 4 PM (pauses from 12 PM–2 PM).
🧡 What’s the prize?
You might find candy, toys, stickers, or even a special treat—but watch out, some pumpkins contain fun challenges like riddles, impressions, and other Halloween “tricks”!
🕷️ Attached Flyers Include:
Pumpkin Hunt Rules – Learn how to play safely and where pumpkins are hidden.
List of Tricks & Treats – See what prizes and silly challenges await!
Come for the candy, stay for the fun, and see what spooky surprises await inside the DVEC this Halloween! 🎃✨

Upcoming Events November 2025
2025-11-01 10:00 - 2025-11-30 17:00
Hi everyone!
The DVEC has an exciting lineup of events this November 2025! 🍂
Join us for hands-on science, creative crafts, and fun fall discoveries about insects, plants, and nature’s hidden helpers.
✨ Stay tuned for engaging activities all month long, and let us know which one you’re most excited about!

Sunday Funday – Watercolors in Autumn
2025-11-02 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Watercolors in Autumn

Fall into creativity this Sunday Funday! 🍂

Blend warm watercolors and paint vibrant autumn-inspired scenes using silhouette cutouts. Whether you’re an artist or just love fall colors, this cozy creative activity is perfect for all ages!

📅 November 2nd, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12 PM
2 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Let your imagination flow with the hues of autumn—stop by and paint your own seasonal masterpiece!

Crazy Science – Apple Orchard Allies
2025-11-05 11:00 - 2025-11-08 11:30
Crazy Science – Apple Orchard Allies
This week’s Crazy Science explores how beneficial insects protect our crops! 🐞Discover how ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps act as natural pest control in apple orchards. Then dive into our Fizzy Apple Volcano experiment to simulate natural reactions in a fun, hands-on way!
📅 November 5th–8th, 2025⏰ 11 AM📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Fun Fact: A single ladybug can eat up to 5,000 aphids in its lifetime!

2025-11-09 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Tweet Treats

Join us this Sunday to make your very own bird feeder using recycled materials! Learn how small efforts help local wildlife thrive—right in your own backyard.

📅 November 9th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM (Break 12 PM–2 PM)
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Help feed our feathered friends this fall and take home your creation!

Crazy Science – Leaf Litter Critters
2025-11-12 11:00 - 2025-11-15 11:30
Crazy Science – Leaf Litter Critters

This week’s Crazy Science uncovers the hidden world beneath the leaves! 🍂
Use Berlese Funnels and light sources to discover how scientists find insects and arthropods living in decomposing leaf litter.

📅 November 12th–15th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Fun Fact: Some soil mites are smaller than dust but are vital decomposers in healthy ecosystems!

Sunday Funday – Magnetizing Fall
2025-11-16 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Magnetizing Fall

Get creative and craft your own autumn magnets! 🍁 Paint festive wooden magnets to decorate your space with fall flair.

📅 November 16th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM (Break 12 PM–2 PM)
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Crazy Science – Chrysanthemums
2025-11-19 11:00 - 2025-11-22 11:30
Crazy Science – Chrysanthemums
This week’s Crazy Science explores how chrysanthemums are used as powerful, plant-based insect control against pests.

Learn how these flowers produce natural insecticides and discover why pyrethrin-based products are widely used in pest management today.

Then join us for a nature walk in the garden as we look for plants with natural defenses and a leaf chromatography demo in the classroom to see the hidden pigments inside real leaves!

Fun Fact: Pyrethrin from chrysanthemums have been used for centuries and are still found in many household repellents today!

📅 November 19th–22nd, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center, St. Augustine, FL

See how nature protects itself and how we use those tools today.

Sunday Funday – Bloomin’ Fun
2025-11-23 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Bloomin’ Fun

Celebrate fall’s final blooms with a floral twist!
Join us for Bloomin’ Fun, where you’ll create colorful paper-plate flowers inspired by our chrysanthemums lesson this week. Learn how real flowers help keep pests away, while you design your own masterpiece to take home!

📅 November 23rd, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM (Break 12 PM–2 PM)
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Craft, color, and create your own garden of paper blooms to brighten your day!

No Scheduled Events
2025-11-26 10:00 - 2025-11-30 17:00
As the season of gratitude arrives, we want to take a moment to thank everyone at the DVEC, AMCD, and our wonderful community for your incredible support, enthusiasm, and participation throughout the year. Your engagement helps our programs grow and inspires us to keep creating hands-on science experiences for all ages!

DVEC will be pausing our daily programs this week as we prepare upcoming activities and complete routine planning.

Programs Paused:
November 26th–30th Crazy Science, Feature Creature, and Mosquito Cravings Fish Frenzy will continue as usual at 10:30 AM and again at 3:30 PM, Wednesday through Saturday.

DVEC will also be CLOSED on November 27th & 28th in observance of Thanksgiving.

Scavenger Hunts will be available Sunday this week at the usual distribution times: 10 AM- 12 PM & 2 PM- 4 PM.

From all of us at the Disease Vector Education Center, thank you for being part of our growing community of learners, explorers, and science enthusiasts. 💛

Our December calendar will be filled with new activities, holiday-themed fun, and educational adventures. It will be posted on Sunday, November 30th, so stay tuned for all the exciting updates!

We can’t wait to share what’s next at the DVEC next month!

Thanksgiving Closure
2025-11-27 10:00 - 2025-11-28 17:00
The DVEC will be closed Thursday–Friday, November 27–28 in observance of Thanksgiving.
We’ll reopen with regular hours on Saturday, November 29.
We’re so grateful for our community and everyone who visits, learns, and explores with us.Wishing you a warm and wonderful holiday with your loved ones!

Upcoming Events December 2025
2025-12-01 10:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00
Hi everyone!

The DVEC has a fun and educational lineup of events this December 2025!

Dive into hands-on science, creative seasonal projects, and winter-inspired adventures into nature’s tiniest inhabitants.

Stay tuned as we share each activity throughout the month, and tell us which one you’re looking forward to the most!

Crazy Science – Hibernation
2025-12-03 11:00 - 2025-12-06 11:30
Crazy Science – Hibernation
This week’s Crazy Science dives into how animals survive winter by slowing down, conserving energy, and using special adaptations to stay warm.
Discover how hibernation works in mammals, reptiles, and even insects—and learn why arthropods rely on strategies like diapause, supercooling, and sheltering to make it through the cold months.
Then join us in the classroom for a hands-on activity comparing fur, blubber, and feathers to see which insulates best when you place your hand (safely!) into ice-cold water.
📅 December 3rd–6th, 2025⏰ 11 AM📍 Disease Vector Education Center, St. Augustine, FL
Explore how winter shapes wildlife behavior—from cozy sleepers to cold-hardy critters built for snow.
Fun Fact: Some frogs—like the wood frog—can freeze solid in winter and thaw back to life in spring! They protect their cells with natural antifreeze compounds.

Sunday Funday – DIY Snowmen
2025-12-07 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – DIY Snowmen
Get ready for a frosty burst of creativity at this week’s Sunday Funday!
Build and decorate your own adorable snowmen using fun winter materials that bring the magic of the season to life. Perfect for families, little artists, and anyone who loves a cozy craft day.
📅 December 7, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
⏸️ Break 12 PM to 2 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center, St. Augustine FL
Join us for a whimsical winter workshop and take home your very own handmade snowman.

Crazy Science – Snowflake Science
2025-12-10 11:00 - 2025-12-13 11:30
Crazy Science – Snowflake Science
This week’s Crazy Science explores the icy world of snowflakes as we uncover how these winter wonders form!
Learn the science behind crystal growth and compare the symmetry of snowflakes to arthropods.
Then wrap up with a hands-on look at crystal formation and take home your own paper snowflake templates to create frosty designs of your own!

📅 December 10th–13th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Join us as we dive into the science beneath the snow!

Sunday Funday – Crafting Snowflakes
2025-12-14 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Crafting Snowflakes

Get ready for a cozy winter-themed Sunday Funday!
Create your own snowflake ornament decorations using fun craft materials and cool winter shapes.
Whether you’re decorating for the season or just enjoying some creative time, it’s the perfect way to celebrate winter magic at the DVEC!

📅 December 14th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM
⏳ Break 12 PM–2 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Let your creativity snow!

Crazy Science: Candy Cane Chemistry
2025-12-17 11:00 - 2025-12-20 11:30
Crazy Science: Candy Cane Chemistry
This week’s Crazy Science gets sweet and scientific as we explore Candy Cane Chemistry! 🍬
Join us for a hands-on activity testing which liquids melt candy canes the fastest while learning about solubility and dissolution.

Participants will observe, predict, and compare how different liquids interact with candy canes and discover why some substances dissolve faster than others.

📅 December 17–20, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center, St. Augustine, FL

Will your candy cane disappear in seconds or stand strong?

Sunday Funday: Winter Wreaths
2025-12-21 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday: Winter Wreaths

Join us for a festive Sunday Funday filled with creativity as we craft Winter Wreaths!
Decorate and design your own winter wreath using seasonal materials and festive details to celebrate the holidays.
This relaxing, family-friendly activity is perfect for getting creative and adding a handmade touch to your winter decor.

📅 December 21, 2025⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM⏸ Break: 12 PM–2 PM📍 Disease Vector Education Center, St. Augustine, FL

Come craft, decorate, and celebrate the season with us.

Holiday Hours
2025-12-24 10:00 - 2026-01-04 17:00
Holiday Hours Update!

The DVEC will be closed on the following dates in observance of the holidays:
• December 24, 2025 – December 25, 2025
• December 31, 2025 – January 1, 2026

We will be open and welcoming visitors at our regular hours:
• December 26–28, 2025
• January 2–4, 2026

Programming will be on pause as we finish planning events for January. Fish Frenzy will still be available at 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM. You can expect our event calendar for January 2026 next week!
Although there is no scheduled programming, guests visiting on January 2nd, 2026 can enjoy fun goodies as we welcome everyone back to the DVEC in the new year! This will be on a first come first serve basis while supplies last.

✨ Normal programming resumes on January 7, 2026.

Thank you for a wonderful year of learning and exploration. We look forward to seeing you soon and starting 2026 with exciting new experiences at the DVEC!

January 2026 Upcoming Events
2026-01-01 10:00 - 2026-01-31 17:00
Hi everyone!
The DVEC is kicking off January 2026 with a fun and educational lineup of winter events! ❄️
Explore hands-on science, icy experiments, and creative winter activities as we dive into how insects, arthropods, and nature adapt to the cold. From goo and ice investigations to winter wiggles and survival science, there’s something new to discover all month long.
✨ Don’t miss our January 2nd special welcome-back event with fun goodies while supplies last!
Stay tuned as we highlight each activity throughout the month, and let us know which one you’re most excited for!

Crazy Science: Goo, Ice, and Bugs
2026-01-07 11:00 - 2026-01-10 11:30
🧪 Crazy Science is getting chilly! ❄️🐞

Join us for Goo, Ice, and Bugs as we dive into a cool science demo exploring non-Newtonian fluids, how temperature changes texture, and what this can teach us about insect cuticles and winter survival adaptations.

From gooey science to icy surprises, this hands-on demo connects physics and biology in a fun, way—perfect for curious minds of all ages!

📅 January 7–10, 2026
⏰ 11:00 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center

Come learn something new and discover how bugs handle the cold!

Sunday Funday: ARTic Slime!
2026-01-11 10:30 - 15:30
❄️ Sunday Funday: ARTic Slime! ❄️
Get ready to squish, stretch, and explore some wintery science, Florida style! 🧊
Join us for Sunday Funday as we create snow-like ARTic Slime, a hands-on activity that captures all the magic of winter without the cold.

📅 January 11, 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM
⏸️ Activity paused from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

A fun and squishy, science craft for all ages that brings wintery fun to life, no cold weather required! We can’t wait to see you there!

#SundayFunday #ARTicSlime #DVEC #FamilyFun #HandsOnScience #STEMFun #WinterScience #StAugustine

Crazy Science – Freeze in a Flash!
2026-01-14 11:00 - 2026-01-17 11:30
Crazy Science – Freeze in a Flash!

This week’s Crazy Science dives into the chilly world of freezing and rapid temperature change!

Explore how freezing affects different materials through icy observations, and learn why rapid freezing plays an important role in science, nature, and the arthropod world.
Get ready to think fast as we experiment, observe, and uncover what happens when things freeze in a flash!

📅 January 14–17, 2026
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Bundle up your curiosity and join us for some cool science fun!

Sunday Funday – Cool Creations
2026-01-18 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Cool Creations

Join us for a colorful and creative Sunday Funday featuring watercolor ice cube painting! 🎨❄️
Watch colors melt, mix, and flow as painted ice transforms into vibrant artwork. This hands-on activity is perfect for all ages and blends creativity with a cool twist on art and science.
📅 January 18, 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM
⏸️ Activity Paused (Center is still open!): 12:00 PM–2:00 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Stop by, get creative, and make something cool together!

Crazy Science-Surviving the Winter
2026-01-21 11:00 - 2026-01-24 11:30
Crazy Science-Surviving the Winter
Crazy Science is going winter-wild at the DVEC!
Join us as we explore how animals survive the coldest season of the year, from worms hiding underground to fish swimming beneath frozen lakes. Through hands-on investigations and cool science demos, we’ll uncover the clever adaptations that help critters beat the cold.

📅 January 21–24, 2026
⏰ 11:00 AM
Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

This interactive program is perfect for curious minds of all ages who want to discover how winter biology works, no snow boots required!

Sunday Funday-Winter Wiggles
2026-01-25 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday-Winter Wiggles
Winter Wiggles are taking over Sunday Funday!
Get creative as we craft wiggly worm puppets and learn how worms survive chilly winter weather by burrowing underground. It’s a fun, easy, and hands-on activity where creativity gets to wiggle and squirm!
📅 January 25, 2026⏰ 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM⏸️ Craft paused from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (We are still open!)
Perfect for families, kids, and anyone who loves a little crafty science fun, drop in and join us!
#SundayFunday #WinterWiggles #DVECFun #FamilyActivities #STEMCrafts #HandsOnLearning #WormScience #StAugustineEvents

February 2026 Upcoming Events
2026-02-01 10:00 - 2026-02-28 17:00
Hi everyone!

The DVEC has a fun and educational lineup of events this February 2026! Join us for hands-on science, creative activities, and fascinating explorations into the amazing senses and survival skills of insects and other arthropods.

From learning how mosquitoes and other vectors use their super senses, to heart-themed and special Valentine’s Day fun, there’s something for curious minds of all ages.

Stay tuned as we spotlight each event throughout the month, and tell us which one you’re most excited to attend! #CommunityEvents #FamilyFun #STEMEducation #February2026 #LearnWithDVEC #StAugustine #STEM #Entomology #DVEC #STEAM

Crazy Science: Super Senses
2026-02-04 11:00 - 2026-02-07 11:30
Crazy Science is sharpening your senses!
Join us for Super Senses as we explore how insects use sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound to find food, avoid danger, and survive in their environments.
Through fun mini-demos and hands-on challenges, this interactive program gives you a bug’s-eye view of the world while testing your own senses along the way. It’s a perfect mix of biology, discovery, and fun science for curious minds of all ages!

📅 February 4–7, 2026
⏰ 11:00 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center

Come experience the world the way bugs do and discover just how powerful tiny senses can be! 🐞✨

Sunday Funday: Buggy Headbands
2026-02-08 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday is getting buggy!
Join us for Buggy Headbands, inspired by our Super Senses session, where creativity meets insect science. As you build your own insect-inspired headband, you’ll learn how antennae help bugs smell, feel, and sense the world around them.

Fun fact: Some insects can even “smell” with their antennae from far away using tiny sensory hairs! You’ll also get the chance to try our supertaster demo with taste test strips and see how your sense of taste compares.

📅 February 8, 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM (Break 12–2 PM)
📍 Disease Vector Education Center

2026-02-11 11:00 - 2026-02-13 11:30
Crazy Science is all about Heart and Flow!
Join us as we dive into the amazing world of the circulatory system and explore how blood moves through the body to keep us alive and healthy. We will also uncover the sneaky arthropod vectored diseases that can affect the heart and why understanding vectors matters for public health.

This program features a fun, hands on heart pump demo where you can see how the heart pushes blood through the body, plus an exciting erupting heart activity that shows pressure and flow in action.

📅 February 11–13, 2026
⏰ 11:00 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center

Come learn how your heart keeps things flowing and how tiny vectors can make a big impact!
