Step into the embrace of Mother Nature and experience the magic of community healing at our Greater Austin YMCA's event! Join us for a soul-nourishing day amidst the serene beauty of the great outdoors, as we unite to honor the profound connection between humanity and the natural world:

Yoga Under the Trees: Find your inner tranquility as we gather under the canopy of gentle trees for a peaceful yoga session. Our experienced yoga instructor will lead you through calming poses and mindful breath, allowing you to fully embrace the serenity of the natural surroundings.

Our other free YMCA For All events happening during the Roots & Wings Festival:

Oct 21 - Guided Trail Run with Ashlee (10am)

Oct 28 - Nature Scavenger Hunt (10am)

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to be part of the Greater Austin YMCA's events celebrating the healing power of community in nature with the Roots & Wings Festival! See you there!

Stay connected at: https://www.austinymca.org/

Join us for an environmental stewardship service event, supporting Roots & Wings Festival 2023! Attendees will be outside planting trees and Texas native plants to attract pollinators.

Participate, discover, and learn the importance of creating sustainable habitats for butterflies and other pollinators.

There will be an opportunity to plant TX native trees, perennials, and spread wildflower seeds. All are welcome for this life changing adventure!

Join us at Laguna Gloria for an evening of exploration and celebration! We are excited to be part of this year’s Roots and Wings Festival! While here, make art inspired by the rich flora and fauna of Laguna Gloria, learn more about how you can help support the pollinators in our city, and enjoy exploring all the art and nature Laguna Gloria has to offer!

Check out TheContemporaryAustin.org for more information on what the evening will hold!

We can't wait to see you!

Step into the embrace of Mother Nature and experience the magic of community healing at our Greater Austin YMCA's event! Join us for a soul-nourishing day amidst the serene beauty of the great outdoors, as we unite to honor the profound connection between humanity and the natural world.

Nature Scavenger Hunt for Families: Calling all families, rain or shine! Embark on a thrilling and educational scavenger hunt through the heart of nature. Assemble your teams and explore the wonders of the great outdoors, discovering hidden treasures and fascinating insights along the way. This engaging activity is perfect for fostering community, sparking curiosity, and creating memories with loved ones.

This event serves as a powerful reminder of the healing potential that blossoms when we come together as a community, embracing the richness of the natural world. Let's celebrate the bonds we form with nature and with one another, as we strengthen our collective commitment to nurturing a healthier, happier, and more sustainable planet.

Our other free YMCA For All events happening during the Roots & Wings Festival:

Oct 21 - Guided Trail Run with Ashlee (10am)

Nov 5 - Outdoor Yoga with Scott (10:30am)

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to be part of the Greater Austin YMCA's events celebrating the healing power of community in nature with the Roots & Wings Festival! See you there!

Stay connected at: https://www.austinymca.org/

Daytime turns into night at the Caretaker’s Cottage while we explore the wide world of pollinators beyond butterflies and bees! Learn how bats, beetles, and more help make Austin the beautiful green city that it is, using a tactile matching game created by Park Rangers.

Give yourself “monarch vision" by using UV flashlights. Finally, leave the event with seed packets of night-blooming plants, and give those amazing nocturnal pollinators an excuse to visit your backyard or community garden.

Join Zilker Botanical Garden in our Roots and Wings Festival Celebration! Visit the Garden to celebrate trees, pollinators, and our community where you can learn how to maintain trees, tag butterflies for scientific research, build homes for local pollinators, and much more. This large festival features crafts, activities, and workshops throughout the day, so be sure to check our website for the day’s schedule.

Crafts and activities will be available in the Oak Grove from 10am-2pm with workshops throughout the day.

All festival events included with Admission, free for Conservancy members, and Museums for All.

Join our Tree Planting on the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve to celebrate the 6th annual Roots & Wings Festival! We will be planting trees and scattering seeds to restore the degraded habitat into a diverse, healthy woodland at the JJ&T and Medway tracts. All experience levels are welcome as we will teach you everything you need to know the day of.

We'll provide tools and gloves for you to use, though you're welcome to bring your own if you'd prefer. Please bring plenty of water and wear closed-toe shoes or boots and long pants for this activity. There will be off-trail hiking over rocky, uneven, and steep terrain and no bathrooms or running water available. Click here to register.

If you are a new volunteer to the Travis County BCP, please fill out a waiver using this link.

Come learn about bats and how they are vital to ecosystems around the world. Some bats help maintain the balance of pests and others pollinate some of our favorite plants. Meet a bat that lives at the Austin Nature & Science Center. Hosted with Bat Conservation International.

Join Cultured Forest for an introduction to guided Forest Bathing in Bull Creek Park in Austin. This session will be led by our Founder Brooke Mellen who has been featured in Vogue and WSJ Magazine. She trained with Dr. Qing Li and certified in Forest Medicine in Japan. This event is supported by Austin Parks & Recreation and created for those ages 18+.

Forest Bathing is based on a Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku that involves connecting with nature by “Bathing in the Forest Atmosphere.” Studies show time in nature lowers blood pressure, boosts immunity and reduces stress. In this activity, you will indulge with fellow nature appreciators in relaxing meditation and forest therapy in a guided outdoor class. Plan to appreciate the trees and natural settings of the park, while learning activities that allow you to better connect with nature through mindfulness, even in urban settings. Leave feeling centered, connected and more at peace. We are excited to end this session with a tea tasting.

Register here: https://www.culturedforest.com/events-2/forest-bathing-roots-and-wings-austin-2023

- Meeting Location: Near the Bathrooms by the Northern Parking lot (note there is a parking lot south of the walking bridge)

-Please Bring: A water bottle

-Please Wear: Dress for the elements. Wear comfortable shoes with traction (note we may need to cross the creek so your feet could get wet), a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug repellent

-This event will require slow walking on paved and unpaved paths, a few stairs and going up and down small inclines. We may need to cross the creek. Please reach out to brooke@culturedforest.com if you need any accommodations.

Let's swap plants and make tiny, macramé plant hangers with supplies provided by the Austin Public Library. All people and plants are welcome.

Step into the embrace of Mother Nature and experience the magic of community healing at our Greater Austin YMCA's event! Rain or shine, join us for a soul-nourishing day amidst the serene beauty of the great outdoors, as we unite to honor the profound connection between humanity and the natural world.

Guided Trail Run with Ashlee: Lace up your running shoes and set forth on an invigorating guided trail run around Lady Bird Lake. Feel the earth beneath your feet and breathe in the rejuvenating scent of nature as you bond with fellow enthusiasts along the way. Whether you're an experienced runner or a novice, this adventure promises to inspire and revitalize your spirit.

Our other free YMCA For All events happening during the Roots & Wings Festival:

Oct 28 - Nature Family Scavenger Hunt (10am)

Nov 5 - Outdoor Yoga with Scott (10:30am)

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to be part of the Greater Austin YMCA's events celebrating the healing power of community in nature with the Roots & Wings Festival! See you there!

Stay connected at: https://www.austinymca.org/

Join us at Grand Meadow Park for natural world storytelling and games with the Central Texas Cherokee Township! Win prizes playing stickball and chunkey! We will have three sisters garden seeds and lessons available for all. Kids are welcome to join activities such as making butterflies. Snacks and coffee will be available.

Rain Date: Sunday, 10/22, 10am - 1pm

Join the City of Austin Park Rangers on a tour of the historic Caretaker's Cottage in Zilker Park! At the top of every hour, Rangers will be leading a tree walk through the Cottage grounds, teaching participants to identify, care for, and meaningfully connect with our arboreal friends. The event will finish with a seedball making activity, and participants will go home with a pollinator-friendly resource they can easily add to their own yards or community gardens.