Although it has been two months since we observed the 40th anniversary of the first U.S. moon landing, Flagstaff still has more to celebrate.

Tonight, Alan Bean, an astronaut with the second Apollo mission who trained in Flagstaff, will open the 20th Flagstaff Festival of Science. His keynote address in Ardrey Auditorium starts at 7 p.m., preceded by dancers from NAU's Preparatory School for the Performing Arts and a specially choreographed "Astro-ballet."

But as Scott Buchanan reports on today's front page, there is plenty more in the upcoming 10 days on Flagstaff's ties to those first manned lunar missions of yesteryear. There will a trip to the Cinder Hills where the astronauts trained and a chance to meet the astrogeologists who trained them. Lowell Observatory and the USGS will hold open houses, as will the U.S. Naval Observatory.

But that's only part of a packed 10-day schedule that has events in not only astronomy but medical technology, geology, ecology, anthropology, botany and biology featuring scientists from Flagstaff's public and private research institutions. .

On Saturday, there's Science in the Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wheeler Park, where hands-on activities help kids understand more about wolves, blood-suckers and birds of prey — to name just three.

And Saturday is Mountain Campus Science and Engineering Day in the new High Country Conference Center at NAU, where from 1 to 4 p.m. bugs, mice and human-powered vehicles take center stage.

Another fun Saturday event for the whole family is the Fantastic Voyage tour at Flagstaff Medical Center from noon to 4 p.m.

Sunday's schedule includes Hart Prairie nature walks, open houses at Lowell Observatory, Sunset Crater and the Fort Valley Experimental Station, and a tour of Lava River Cave. There's also that tour of the Apollo training grounds at the Cinder Hills from 1 to 5 p.m. — call 556-7002 to make a reservation.

Thanks goodness the forecast calls for perfect weather to be outdoors.

Science and discovery produce as many questions as they help answer, but it's that desire to understand, that curiosity and wonderment at how the world works and how we can make it work better that we celebrate in Flagstaff — not just this coming week but every day of the year. The festival of science, though, helps us to focus our attention at least once a year, and all should be grateful for the wide and deep financial support from community organizations and private citizens that makes possible one of Flagstaff truly special events — and all for free.

For more information on all events, see the printed festival program available at numerous locations in Flagstaff or go to www.scifest.org. Or check the Daily Sun and its Web calendar, azdailysun.com, for daily listings.