Join The VORTEX for a Roots and Wings event featuring our beautiful Nationally Certified Butterfly Garden and celebrating the life cycle of the butterfly!

Kick-off community parade at 5pm, come dressed as your favorite butterfly or flower and join in! Costume contest at 6:30pm with a fun prize featuring a plant from Tillery Street Plant Company and goods from local businesses.

Enjoy educational fun-tivities for all ages, including making butterfly art, playing games, and more! Alex Cogburn, Keeper of the Butterfly Sanctuary, will unveil new educational placards for our butterfly plants, lead tours of the Butterfly Garden, and interview "The Egg, Caterpillar, Butterfly, and Plant" in a skit that's delightful and informative! Tillery Street Plant Company and They Might Be Monkeys will also talk about native plants and tree care.

Enjoy live music featuring Roland & the Roots Riddim, Tyagaraja Welch of SHE, and pop-ups including Save our Springs, Reggie Rap's Room, Girl Scout Troop 42121, and more!

Refreshments available from The Butterfly Bar @ The VORTEX and Patrizi's Italian Food Truck.

The Karst Preserve truly demonstrates how Austin’s Urban Trees work to help protect our caves and drinking water supply - along with having several unique Austin species to identify along the trail.

In addition to learning how to identify common Austin tree species, attendees will see first hand the significant tree canopy loss since the 2011 drought and other major extreme weather events.This will highlight how important ANNUAL TREE PLANTING and QUALITY TREE CARE are to keeping our water supply clean and our neighborhoods cool! Please bring water, comfortable walking shoes, and dress for the weather since we will be outside the whole time. You will learn how to identify native trees, and how to safely and ethically collect seeds to donate to the TreeFolks Seeds To Trees Native Nursery.

Click here to register!

The Central Texas Seed Savers is a growing network of people who love seeds with the mission of preventing the extinction of ecologically and culinarily important plants in the Central Texas Region. TreeFolks was founded as Austin’s Urban Forestry non-profit in 1989. Since then, TreeFolks has grown to work with communities throughout Central Texas in community tree planting, tree giveaways, education and urban-wildland reforestation efforts. Our mission is to empower Central Texans to build stronger communities through planting and caring for trees.

Karst Preserve Friends endeavor to increase the enjoyment of the Karst Preserve through stewardship, education and activities in support of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve mission.

Celebrate nature at Dottie Jordan Park during the Roots and Wings Festival with Urban Forest Explorers! This event offers interactive nature play stations where kids can discover the wonders of roots, mushrooms, rocks, fossils, and bugs. It’s a fun, hands-on experience that invites young adventurers to learn about the hidden treasures of the forest ecosystem!

Join the Neighbors of Dottie Jordan Park & Garden for the 3rd Annual Roots & Wings Festival celebrating pollinators and trees! Tour the community garden, find out where the birds live, and so much more:

• Tree Giveaway!

• Austin Public Library Bookmobile - Sign up for a library card and check out books!

• Austin Public Library Storytime w/ Mr. Gabriel & Ms. Aubrey

• Sing along with Joe McDermott!

• Community Garden Tour - Explore the garden and learn about local plants!

Join us at the Domain for a day of celebrating nature with engaging activities for all ages!

Event Activities:

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Soapberry Demonstrations!

• Hands-on Soap-making demos

• Take home a mini sample

• Free soapberries & recipe card with passport completion

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Cheerio Bird Snack Craft!

• Make bird-friendly snacks with fun shapes

• Grab a bird-watching guide

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM: Create your Herb Haven!

• Learn to grow herbs for winter

• Free herb seed kits for Central Texas

• Learn from kitchen garden expert & take home a care guide

• Mushroom-splent blocks & soil giveaway

Join the Bullock Museum for a pollinator-themed H-E-B Free First Sunday!

Enjoy FREE exhibition admission all day during H-E-B Free First Sundays, held the first Sunday of every month. Explore the Story of Texas through three floors of exhibitions that showcase and tell the history of artifacts from around the state!

Pollinator-themed activities are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, with so many things to do!

• Start your own Texas wildflower field by making pollinator-friendly seed balls with Zilker Botanical Garden

• Sample local honey, explore beekeeping equipment and see live bees up close in an observation hive with The Texas Beekeepers Association

• Learn about pollinator science and conservation with The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation • Make a pollinator-antenna headband and interact with beekeeping tools and bee products with Two Hives Honey

• Discover the connection between pollinators and plants through activities from the Wildflower Research Center

• Make a mushroom craft and learn about mushrooms in Texas, including the new state mushroom, the Texas Star Mushroom with Central Texas Mycology

• Learn about exploring nature in Austin with Whole Earth Provision Co.

• Join our friends at Girlstart for interactive STEM demos and hands-on activities for kids of all ages.

• At 11:30am & 12:30pm, come listen to pollinator-themed stories with Westbank Library

• Take home a baby tree sapling to plant, courtesy of City of Austin’s Community Tree Preservation!

Learn more at: https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/visit/calendar/education/free-first-sunday-20241103

Also, join us after the Roots & Wings Festival on Wed. Nov. 6 at 12pm for a lecture titled “High Noon Talk: The Monarch Butterfly Migration: The Rise and Fall”. The program is also free! Learn more at: https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/visit/calendar/programs/high-noon-talk-20241106

Join us at Chaparral Crossing Farmers' Market for a Nature Celebration event! We will have live music, fun activities and crafts for the entire family, and educational materials about pollinators! Take home a baby tree sapling to plant, courtesy of City of Austin’s Community Tree Preservation!

Chaparral Crossing Farmers’ Market is open every first Sunday, 10a-1p.

Join us for a celebration of Halloween, Day of the Dead, and our urban ecosystem at Healing with Horses Ranch! Explore our 47-acre natural landscape nestled on the edge of Austin!

As part of the City of Austin's Roots & Wings Festival, this family-friendly event invites the community to navigate our trails, engage in fun nature-themed activities, and gather plenty of treats along the way. The fest embraces the fundamental concept that we are all connected to each other and to our local ecosystem. Growing these connections creates a stronger, more resilient, and healthy community.

RSVP HERE!

Event Highlights:

• Meet the Horses: Get to know members of the Healing with Horses Ranch therapy herd, who will be mingling around the event in costume!

• Scavenger Hunt Safari: Learn about our native flora & fauna by spotting our staff in themed costumes.

• Face Painting: Festival-themed designs for all ages by Big Smiles Face Painting, LLC.

• Community Ofrenda: Honor past horses and pets in a special Dia de los Muertos display. We encourage our guests to bring their own contributions & photos to add.

• DIY Wildlife Treat Station: Make a special treat for wildlife to take home.

• Texas Wildlife Mask-Making: Craft masks using recycled materials.

• Owl Pellet Dissection: A hands-on activity to explore the food chain.

• Healing with Horses Ranch "Duck Derby": Participate in our exciting rubber duck races on Gilleland Creek! Ducks are available for "adoption" at $5 for one or $25 for six. The fastest duck wins fantastic prizes for their adoptive parents! Ducks are limited, and they may sell out, so be sure to adopt yours quack-ly! Race heats will be held throughout the event, so don't miss out.

• Community Market: Shop local vendors!

Costumes are encouraged! Whether spooky or silly, come dressed in your Halloween best (family-friendly, of course!). Don’t forget to bring your own basket for all the treats you’ll collect. Plus, we’ll be hosting local vendors and distributing 50 tree saplings (first-come, first-served) to help our community grow!

This is a “leave no trace” event, and we strive to make it accessible for all. Accessible parking is available—just ask one of our volunteers when you arrive to direct you. While our natural trails are maintained for easy navigation, please note there are small hills and uneven ground in certain areas.

Vendor Call: We are currently accepting applications from local vendors interested in selling goods at this event for a small fee. If you’d like to showcase your crafts, treats, or services, this is a great opportunity to connect with the community! Deadline for sign up is Saturday, October 19th. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/sgHvjZTC4UNAb7Z97

Please direct any questions to our Development Director: rebekah.fookes@healingwithhorsesranch.org

Please join us at the John Gillum Branch (formerly North Village)!

12:30-4:30pm: Ongoing throughout the afternoon, the Garden Club Team Up Plant Show will allow all to see, learn, and ask questions about the unique and special plants of the members of the Austin Bonsai Society and the Austin Cactus & Succulent Society!

1-2pm: learn insider knowledge about beekeeping and honey production from pro beekeeper Konrad Bouffard of Round Rock Honey, followed by a hands on seed ball crafting session!

Also, take home a baby tree sapling to plant, courtesy of City of Austin’s Community Tree Preservation!

Do you have room to plant a shade tree at your home? Plant a tree and help lower the temperatures in your neighborhood. Combat the urban heat island effect and beautify your community.

Come to our tree adoption event at Bartholomew Park! We will be giving away up to 2 shade trees per household. Our tree experts will be on hand to demonstrate proper tree planting technique and answer any questions you may have about care of your newly adopted tree.

This event is part of the Windsor Park Eco Expo.

TreeFolks NeighborWoods is a partnership with the City of Austin and Austin Energy.

Please bring your kids ages 5-12 and join Dove Springs Proud to learn about Franklin Park. Each child who attends will be given a cape and a mask to become a park superhero and learn about the butterfly life cycle, help plant trees, clean up the park & learn more about the type of trees in the park as well as enjoy the playground. There will be butterfly-themed art activities & more. Light food & water will be provided.

Rain Date: Sun. Nov. 3rd at 11am.

Dive into a day of discovery, fun, and eco-friendly excitement at Easton Park's Nature and Sustainability Fest! Connect with nature, meet local wildlife, and learn how you can make a positive impact on our planet. With hands-on activities, fascinating exhibits, and opportunities to meet passionate experts, there's something for everyone. Take home a baby tree sapling to plant, courtesy of City of Austin’s Community Tree Preservation!

Don't miss this chance to be a part of our vibrant, green community!

Rain or shine, come out to branch out and get rooted at Givens Park with The Healing Project!

Starting at 11:11, we will be offering fun and kid-friendly educational activities for all individuals interested in becoming more connected with nature and getting grounded within themselves.

Schedule:

• Yoga with Dani 11:11 - 11:50am

• Restroom and Snack break 12 - 12:20pm

• Art Therapy 12:22 - 1:11pm

• Nature Walk 1:15 - 2:00pm

Participants can receive seeds, community nature kits and even a baby tree!

November is the month to plant new trees.  We are giving away 800 trees at Windsor Park Eco Fest 2024, along with mulch and tree planting training! Any homeowner can get a tree! RSVP Here!

Eco Fest brings together various local climate and neighborhood organizations, along with science, art, entertainment, food and education.

The main program of the event is “Shade the Streets”, which is currently identifying locations in the neighborhood for shade trees, and then giving interested homeowners two native, drought tolerant trees. Our goal is to provide shade over the streets to reduce the heat island effect in Windsor Park. 

Eco Fest features Tree Folks, who are providing the free trees from a partnership with Austin Energy from noon to 3pm! Tree Amigos will be providing tree care and planting for the neighborhood bike lanes and trails, and Austin Energy will be promoting their many energy saving and renewable programs. Congressmen Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar will be on hand to promote federal tax rebate programs for energy saving appliances and systems, and Citizens Climate Lobby, Austin Sierra Club, Austin Climate Parents, and WP Climate Committee will be providing data and opportunities for involvement. If you are unable to plant a tree, there will be volunteers available to help you.

There will be lots of fun activities for the kids! Austin Creative Reuse will be hosting an arts table for children to make butterflies, Goodwill is hosting a gardening equipment shop, and Urban Forestry will be hosting a kids’ tree climbing and rappelling program! 

RSVP Here!

For more info about Shade the Streets: https://www.windsorpark.info/shade-the-streets/

Rain Date: Sun. Nov 3rd at 12pm

Join Concordia University for an environmental stewardship service event during the City's Roots & Wings Festival 2024!

Participate, discover, and learn the importance of creating sustainable habitats for butterflies and other pollinators! There will be opportunity to plant TX native perennial species and spread wildflower seeds to support and attract pollinators. All are welcome for this life changing adventure!

Help to restore the Country Club Creek Greenbelt by planting native trees with the East Riverside/Oltorf Combined (EROC) Neighborhood Planning Area Contact Team!

We will assemble at the South Pleasant Valley Road Trailhead of the Country Club Creek Trail, and will provide the trees, tools, and supplies. This greenbelt is a wilderness area, so dress appropriately and bring a water bottle!

¡Ayúdenos a restaurar El Cinturón Verde de Country Club Creek! La Asociación de Vecinos de East Riverside/Oltorf Corridor (East Riverside-Oltorf Corridor Neighborhood Association) solicita su ayuda en plantar varios árboles nativos de Texas.

Nos encontraremos en el punto de partida de South Pleasant Valley Road Trailhead del Country Club Creek Trail adonde le proveeremos los árboles, herramientas, y suministros. Este cinturón verde es parte de una zona salvaje. Se les sugiere vestirse apropiadamente para el ambiente y traerse su agua!

Join us at the Austin Nature & Science Center for a special volunteer day as part of the Roots & Wings Festival and It's My Park Day! Get your hands dirty and make a real impact on our local environment through hands-on activities. Help us remove invasive species to protect native plants, collect and organize seeds to learn about plant life cycles, and plant vibrant pollinator gardens to support butterflies, bees, and other essential pollinators.

This event offers a unique educational experience and a chance to connect with the community while caring for our natural surroundings. We will have bilingual staff present to lead some groups in Spanish. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance our urban forest and make a difference! Spots are limited, so head to the ANSC website to sign up.

Únase a nosotros en el Austin Nature & Science Center para un día especial de voluntariado como parte del Festival Roots & Wings y es el Día de Mi Parque. Ensuciarse las manos y hacer un impacto real en nuestro entorno local a través de actividades prácticas. Ayúdanos a eliminar las especies invasoras para proteger las plantas nativas, recolectar y organizar semillas para aprender sobre los ciclos de vida de las plantas, y plantar jardines de polinizadores vibrantes para apoyar mariposas, abejas y otros polinizadores esenciales.

Este evento ofrece una experiencia educativa única y la oportunidad de conectarse con la comunidad mientras cuidamos nuestro entorno natural. Tendremos personal bilingüe presente para liderar algunos grupos en español.||¡No pierdas esta oportunidad de potenciar nuestro bosque urbano y marcar la diferencia! La disponibilidad es limitada, así que visite el sitio web de ANSC para registrarse.

ArtSmart is a series that looks at different forms of art and storytelling to deepen audiences' connection to their artistic creations. Join the University Hills Branch for a look at how butterflies influence many designs and artforms you see throughout Hispanic and Latino cultures, especially during the Dia de los Muertos time of the year!

Come ready to create and appreciate the beauty that butterflies bring to art! And parents, take home a free baby tree sapling to raise with your family!

Come to the Terrazas Branch and make your very own ecosystem in a jar!

Learn about plant and environmental stewardship by making a beginner terrarium. A terranium is a glass container containing soil and plants that can be opened for maintenance to access the plants inside. You'll get to make your own terrarium to take home with provided supplies and plants, plus take home a baby tree sapling to plant, courtesy of City of Austin’s Community Tree Preservation!

*This is event is limited to 15 Adults (1 terrarium per household) and is first come, first serve.

Join us for an enriching and hands-on gardening workshop with local expert Austin Davenport! This adult-only event will guide you through the essentials of selecting, planting, and nurturing fruit trees, shrubs, and vines specifically suited for Texas. Discover a wide range of fruiting varieties adapted to our local climate and learn the best practices for ensuring healthy growth and long-term success. Register here!

Austin will share invaluable tips on planting, watering, pruning, and protecting your plants from harsh weather, as well as managing pests and diseases to keep your food forest thriving. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced gardener, this workshop will equip you with the knowledge, skills, tools and trees to create your own backyard bounty!

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best and take the first step toward a fruitful future! The first 50 attendees will have the opportunity to choose a fruit tree or blackberry bramble to start their own backyard orchard. Pruning tools and a limited number of grow bags will also be available for attendees who cannot plant their seedlings in the ground.

Register here!

Join us at Yarborough Branch for a morning of imaginative play! Designed for young learners, Imagination Station encourages learning through play. Discover the arts, practice your motor skills, and start your STEM exploration.

This month, learn about a variety of native pollinators, build a mushroom-based world-wide web, learn how trees carry water, learn to be a tree ID hero, and more!

Join Red Salmon Arts/ Casa de Resistencia Books for a Roots & Wings Festival Event Series!

Cafe Librito: 2024 Dia de los Muertos Festival, Oct. 26th 7pm- 9pm Join us for an evening of honoring our ancestors and cultura! Bring the family to enjoy live music food & drinks, BIPOC vendor market, bilingual kid’s storytime, kid’s crafting, and a guided fungi UV night walk with Central Texas Mycology!

Guests will hand pick flowers from our very own Resistencia Community Garden. Together, the community will build an altar to our ancestors with cempasuchiles, mano de leon, and amaranth flowers.

Everyone is encouraged to leave pictures (copies) and offerings for their loved ones! Goodie bag giveaways include the books, “Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock” and “Lotli”, native pollinator seed mixes, & cempasuchil flowers for family altars at home.

• 7:00pm: Opening Ceremony

  • Guests can bring their ofrendas for the altar andcut fresh flowers from garden for altar

  • Goodie Bag Giveaway: children books, native pollinator seed mixes, and zines

• 7:30pm: Kids Bilingual Storytime (inside) with Lotli Illustrated Book about the origin of the Monarch Butterfly & “Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock”

• 8:00pm: Bilingual Fungi UV Night Walk guided by Central Texas Mycology Jesus Garcia

• 8:30 - 9pm: Open Mic poetry

  Ongoing Activities!

BIPOC Vendor Market - Live Music - Arts & Crafts Tables - Mariposa Wings & Seedball Making - Painting Paper Mache Skulls - Baby Tree Giveaway!

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Celebrating Native American Heritage Month, November 2nd, 8:30am-11:30am: During Native American heritage month, our Native Roots program activities will center around The Three Sisters/Milpa, (currently growing in our Resistencia Community Garden). We will intertwine indigenous storytelling centering, celebrating corn, harvest songs, and craft corn husk dolls in partnership with Central Texas Cherokee Township!

Experience "A Planting, Nature and Performance Journey" with Cosmic Intuition Productions at beautiful St. Edward's University!

The journey begins with a drums-led procession to the trees to perform libations, and then a return to Jones Auditorium to enjoy the poetry and music from Stevie Wonder's "Secret Life of Plants" and naturistic covers from Marvin Gaye, performed by local artists. Lastly, guests can participate in a tree transplanting workshop led by Master Gardner Baba Ifalade with free tree saplings to take home!

Co-sponsored by Museum of Human Achievement and St. Edward's University

Celebrate “Over the Garden Wall!” at the Carver Library! We'll be doing crafts and activities centered around all the wonderful plants and critters in the show. Free baby trees and seeds will be available while supplies last.

Join the Windsor Park Branch Library community at its Un-Bee-lievable Pollinators Festival!

This festival event will be a celebration of bees as nature's energetic little pollinators. Bee Keeper Konrad Bouffard, of Round Rock Honey will lead us in learning how bees make honey, how to identify pollens and nectars in honey by taste, and discovering meaningful ways to save bees.

Many other activities include Bee-themed art activities, felt insect masks, wildflower plantings, honey flavor pairings, face painting, seed bombs, Cheetos pollinating activity, fort building, seed/plant swap, bird houses, DIY bee windchime, scavenger hunt and an opportunity to receive a sapling from the Texas Forest Service, plus more! 

Honey Tasting starts at 12 PM

A-bbee’s Native Plant Musical Chairs at 1 PM

Celebrate nature at our Windsor Park Branch during the Roots and Wings Festival with Urban Forest Explorers! There will be a booth at their Un-BEE-Lievable Pollinators Festival featuring interactive nature play where kids can discover the wonders of roots, mushrooms, rocks, fossils, and bugs. It’s a fun, hands-on experience that invites young adventurers to learn about the hidden treasures of the forest ecosystem!

Join Zilker Botanical Garden in our Roots & Wings Festival Celebration on October 26th!

Visit the Garden to celebrate trees, pollinators, and our community and learn how to maintain trees, tag butterflies for scientific research, build homes for local pollinators, make seed balls, and much more!

This family friendly festival features crafts, activities, and workshops throughout the day!

This festival event is included with General Admission. Free for Conservancy members & those participating in Museums for All, which invites all families with an EBT card, WIC, STAR/CHIP, SNAP, Medicaid, or MAP identification card to gain free access to Zilker Botanical Garden!

Rain Date: Sat. Nov. 2nd, 10am

Is your garden in need of a little TLC, or are you dreaming of starting one? We've got just the thing! Come fall back in love with your garden at the Grow Green Fall Garden Party!

Picture this: chatting with garden gurus who know all the secrets to creek-friendly gardening, and leaving with freebies like a plant, a tree, and more garden goodies! Got a pesky plant problem? The Master Gardeners will be on call at the plant clinic to help you out. And hey, don't leave the kiddos at home! We will have crafts and activities for all ages, including making seed balls & butterfly masks that are sure to get those creative juices flowing!

We'll also have Blooms & Bees: A Rain Garden and Native Plant Tour at Givens Park, where you can explore how native and adapted plants thrive in our local climate. Learn how eco-friendly landscape features, like rain gardens, can help manage rainwater naturally, while supporting pollinators and adding beauty to your space.

We'll have plenty of snacks, drinks, and good vibes to keep the garden party going! And because it's Halloween season, we say bring on the costumes, especially if they're plant-themed. Plus, don't miss your chance to enter our prize drawing for a special garden-themed gift that will make your day even brighter. We’ll also have baby trees to take home to your family! Let's make this a garden party to remember!

We welcome all to come spend the day and learn about the local ecosystem, participate in eco-art, and enjoy the beautiful St. Edward's, two year-old Food Forest. We will discuss how to get the absolute most out of plants, ranging from edible and medicinal uses, pollination science, cultural uses, and biophilic use through art.

The best way to learn about plants is by getting your hands dirty, so following our guest speakers, attendees will have the opportunity to plant pollinator plants and native shrubs.

We will also have kids activities, such as making seed balls, painting, and more! Bring your friends and family, and enjoy nature, socializing, and refreshments on the Hilltop!

Rain Date: Sat. Nov. 2nd at 10am

Join the City of Austin Park Rangers at the Zilker Caretaker Cottage for a Roots and Wings tabling event! This educational event will have activities such as seed ball making, butterfly-themed crafts and games. Come on out and learn all about pollinators!

Baby tree saplings will be available for participants to take home, courtesy of City of Austin’s Community Tree Preservation!