Stars of the Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers series to visit Sci-Port

Stars of the Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers series to visit Sci-Port, a photo by Sci-Port on Flickr.

Tornado season may be winding down in the region of America’s heartland known as “Tornado Alley,” but IMAX film-maker Sean Casey of the Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers series and his custom-built Tornado Intercept Vehicle (known as “the TIV II”) are still on the road and will be making a special stop to meet fans and visitors at Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center on Tuesday, August 9 and Wednesday, August 10. The crew’s appearance is sponsored by the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau.

For the past seven years, Casey, has traveled Tornado Alley, or the “severe weather capitol of the world,” on a personal quest to capture the birth of a tornado on film—at point-blank range. From 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 9, and from 9 a.m. – Noon on Wednesday, August 10, all Sci-Port visitors will be able to get a close-up view of the vehicle, talk with Casey and Gutierrez, pose for pictures and purchase a signed poster. Plus, on August 9, at 4:30 and 7:45 p.m., Casey will introduce his featured film, Tornado Alley, inside Sci-Port’s IMAX Dome Theatre and have a Q&A segment with visitors during two reservation-only screenings. Reservations for “A Night with the Twister Chasers” will include a spaghetti dinner reception at 6 p.m. and can be made through http://sciport.eventbrite.com/ or www.facebook.com/Sciport.

Also, the “Twister Chasers Giveaway” has begun on Sci-Port’s Facebook page. The contest winners will each receive one ride with a friend in the TIV II around downtown Shreveport, four tickets to “A Night with the Twister Chasers,” an autographed TIV II poster, a bumper sticker that reads “I break for wind” and a Family Four Pack to Sci-Port’s Discovery Galleries. Winners will be announced Monday, August 8 at 5:30 p.m.

Rides in the TIV II will take place from 12:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. on August 10 in downtown Shreveport. Riders will include Liz Swaine, Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority, Ann Fumarolo, Sci-Port’s President/CEO, Stephen Parr, KSLA StormTracker 12 Chief Meteorologist and winners of the Twister Chasers Giveaway. Children must weigh at least 60 pounds to ride in the TIV II; children 12 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult.