The Roanoke Rapids Lake Park on Oakwood Avenue will play host to a star party sponsored by the Roanoke Canal Museum and the city’s recreation department Friday night.

Time of the event is 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., said Ryan Newsome, the city’s cultural resources leader for the museum and trail. It will be held rain or shine.

Evan Worrell, the former observatory manager at Primland, a resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, will be bringing a couple of telescopes to talk about and show visitors to the event stars and constellations.

Evan is the brother of Koy Worrell, who is the T.J. Davis Recreation Center supervisor.

Visitors to the event are encouraged to bring their own telescopes or binoculars. They are also encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

The lake park is one of the few places within the city which is unobstructed by light pollution, Newsome said, and even if the night turns cloudy, Evan’s experience at the observatory will still allow him to put on an informative show.

“Even if we have a cloudy night, Evan will still be able to talk about constellations and stars,” Koy said. 

Newsome said the event is one for all ages. “It really meets the mission of the parks and recreation department to reach a wide range of ages.”

The event is free.