Loading Events
  • This event has passed.

“TrailOff” Guided Afrofuturist Story Walk with SwimPony

June 24, 2022 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Bartram’s Mile Trail

Free

Immerse yourself in a new narrative along the Bartram’s Mile Trail with a guided story walk through the Garden using the new TrailOff app by SwimPony. This structured 1-mile walk will follow the new Afrofuturist audio drama Chronicles Of Asylum by Philadelphia author and artist Li Sumpter of MythMediaStudios, available for free download through TrailOff:

Set in future Philadelphia circa 2045 on the eve of a major cosmic event, Chronicles of Asylum follows savvy young journalist Liliquoi Brown as she investigates an otherworldly urban myth in hopes of finding two missing visitors to a refugee camp on the Schuylkill River. Exploring survival and sacrifice, home and exile, humanity’s fate and hope for the future, Chronicles follows the path of this unexpected trailblazer.

The story walk will take approximately one hour but can accommodate participants moving at a slower pace.

 

WHAT IS TRAILOFF?

TrailOff is an audio storytelling app that puts YOU in the center of the drama! Get out onto a trail and let a 360° world swirl around you. Literally step into the shoes of characters as they run from monsters, uncover clues to mysteries, or adventure into unknown secrets from the past in stories synced to you in real-time!

TrailOff uses your phone’s technology to transport you into an augmented reality world that syncs to your movements as you walk a trail. It features 10 original audio dramas, totally free to download through a cutting-edge app, that unfold on trails across the Philadelphia region’s Circuit Trails network. Each story is uniquely crafted for its site, written by incredible local authors who will explode the way you think about taking a walk outside. This is NOT your grandma’s nature trail!

Created by Swim Pony and the PA Environmental Council (PEC), this FREE project aims to diversify the stories we imagine when we think about nature.

 

HOW DOES IT WORK?

To use TrailOff just download the app to your phone, explore trails and stories, and pick a trail you want to try. Hit “Let’s Go” to download a story and get directions to the trail by car or public transport. Once you arrive just hit “Begin” and start walking!

During your story, follow the path and directions from the app. If you accidentally stray from the path, a sound will let you know you’ve gone off route. The story will follow YOUR pace, so take as long as you like to explore. If you need to leave, you can always return and pick up where you left off.

After finishing a trail, you’ll even get some bonus features to keep you busy on the walk back!

Related Events

I'm interested in:

Biking & Walking

Birds

Boating & Fishing

Flowers, Plants & Trees

Gardening

History

Kids' Activities

Sankofa Community Farm

Southwest Philadelphia

Water Quality

Workshops, Wellness & Culture

Youth Internships

I'm interested in:

Biking & Walking

Stroll the Schuylkill River Trail or join us for biking!

Birds

Look up! More than 100 species of birds rely on this ecosystem.

Boating & Fishing

Enjoy all that the Tidal Schuylkill River has to offer.

Flowers, Plants & Trees

See what’s blooming, find a favorite tree, and stroll the gardens and natural lands.

Gardening

Bring the Garden home! Shop for plants or grow food, trees, and more.

History

Uncover the interconnected stories of this historic site.

Kids' Activities

Join us year-round to learn, make, share, and wonder.

Sankofa Community Farm

“Go back and get it!” Growing food sovereignty with an African Diaspora focus.

Southwest Philadelphia

Resources and opportunities especially for neighbors in Southwest Philly.

Water Quality

Find our latest data on the river’s bacteria levels and recent rainfall.

Workshops, Wellness & Culture

Enjoy upcoming workshops, self-care, and events. Are you a Southwest artist? Let’s partner!

Youth Internships

Calling Southwest students: paid internships available with the river, the farm, and the trees.