Missouri state parks and historic sites are hosting a wide variety of educational and recreational activities this month. Upcoming area events include:

• Saturday, May 16, from 1-4 p.m. – Grave Care Basics: Preservation through Cleaning at Confederate Memorial State Historic Site. Representatives from the State Historic Preservation Office will present a free hands-on grave presentation workshop at the historic site’s Confederate Home Cemetery. The workshop is open to anyone interested in preserving a piece of local history while learning how to clean historic headstones in a safe, effective and respectful manner. Instructors will provide information about which tools and cleaning solutions to use – and which ones to avoid – while also sharing general preservation tips. Cleaning solution, brushes, gloves and safety glasses will be provided. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and shoes that can get dirty. They are also encouraged to bring drinking water, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, hats, kneeling pads and camp chairs. Space is limited, and online registration at icampmo.com is required. Confederate Memorial State Historic Site is located at 211 W. First St. in Higginsville.

• Friday, May 22, and 29, at 8 p.m. – Friday Night Fireside Chat at Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park. Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park’s Friday Night Fireside Chats are back! Each Friday night from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, visitors can meet the park team in an informal gathering around a campfire. Join them to hear stories and songs, make s’mores and learn more about the park. Participation is free and open to registered campers and day-use visitors alike. Activities are subject to cancelation or change due to inclement weather. Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park is located at 32146 N. Highway 122 in Miami.

• Saturday, May 23, and 30, at 8 p.m. – Nights at the Campground at Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park. Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park’s Nights at the Campground series is back for the season. Each Saturday night from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, the park team will present an interpretive program in the campground with different topics weekly. Participation is free and open to campers and day-use visitors alike. Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park is located at 32146 N. Highway 122 in Miami.

• Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Santa Fe Trail Reenactment at Arrow Rock State Historic Site. Join the team for a Santa Fe Trail reenactment on the lawn of the J. Huston Tavern. Visitors will see demonstrations of 19th-century camp activities, performed by Arrow Rock Stock and Trading Co., and children will enjoy interactive activities related to that time period. The event is free and open to the public. The event will take place at 305 Main St. in Arrow Rock.

The primary source of funding for the state park system is half of the dedicated constitutional tax of one-tenth-of-one-percent Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax. The tax provides about threefourths of the division’s budget for operation and development of state parks. All additional funding for Missouri’s Division of State Parks comes from revenues generated in the state park system and some federal funds.

For detailed information on any of these activities, please visit https://mostateparks.com/ events. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri’s Division of State Parks is part of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.