CALIFORNIA BOASTS MANY FABULOUS FRAMES, and we're not just talking about the beautiful borders found on artworks or the eyeglasses seen on some of our state's most stylish denizens. We're talking about sizable frames, and what we see through them: San Francisco observed through the lines of the Golden Gate Bridge, Los Angeles observed through the bottom of the H in the Hollywood Sign, the view of Yosemite Valley as you're cruising into the Tunnel View scenic viewpoint. And spying the Milky Way as framed by the very tops of some of the tallest trees on the planet? That may be one of the state's, or probably more like the Solar System's, greatest frames. You can enjoy this on any clear night you're visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, but when the Dark Sky Festival returns, the frame truly comes into focus.
THE 2026 DATES... are in full twinkle on the Sequoia Parks Conservancy site, and if you guessed this astronomically ethereal meet-up would come near the conclusion of summer, as in years gone by, you'd be correct: Sept. 11-13 is when you'll want to journey to the national park. While details are still to come, you can look to past festivals for a general guide as to the cosmic cool that is part of the starlit celebration: Telescope viewing, astronomer cameos, informative talks, chances to interact with science in a hands-on way, and marvelous moments to bask in the universe-y splendor are on the roster. Do plan ahead and decide where you might snuggle up for the night well before rolling up for the mid-September star parties. Is there a finer frame in all of California than a ring of sequoias adding a circle around some distant galaxies? Ponder that as you plan your Dark Sky escape.
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