Calendar
The Kemah Boardwalk will be transformed into a fun, educational, environmental atmosphere complete with all things wet, furry, scaly, feathery, muddy and more that define Galveston Bay. The Bay Day Festival is free to attend!
Visitors to the Galveston Bay Foundation’s annual Bay Day Festival learn all about Galveston Bay, the largest bay in Texas and one of the most productive estuaries in the country. Festival highlights include bay-themed arts and crafts, live animal demonstrations and touch tanks, a Galveston Bay Explorer game, science and marine exhibits and more. Children and adults learn about the importance of Galveston Bay in our everyday lives as they engage with a variety of local educational exhibits.
Join Galveston Bay Foundation for a virtual event, with exhibitors providing educational videos of their exhibits.
Join Citizens’ Environmental Coalition and NOAA Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary for a night of fun as we test your knowledge of the ocean.
For this event, join us LIVE in Google Meets (link will come in an email) to socialize and get Kahoot Trivia game-codes. You’ll need two screens open on your computer (one for Kahoot Trivia, and the other for Google Meet), otherwise use two devices.
Hints will be posted on Social Media, so follow CEC on Facebook: Houston Green Film Series, Instagram: cechoust and Twitter: @cechouston.
Join Citizens’ Environmental Coalition and Houston Public Works for a night of fun as we test your knowledge of water use around the world. We’re also raising money for the Houston Water Aid to Elderly Residents (WATER) Fund, which provides assistance to senior citizens in need.
For this event, join us LIVE in Google Meets (link will come in an email) to socialize and get Kahoot Trivia game-codes. You’ll need two screens open on your computer (one for Kahoot Trivia, and the other for Google Meet), otherwise use two devices.
Kid/family/pet-friendly!
Hints will be posted on Social Media, so follow CEC on Facebook: Houston Green Film Series, Instagram: cechoust and Twitter: @cechouston.
Join Houston Public Works for an essay contest as part of the Imagine a Day Without Water Campaign. Due October 16. Details on this flier:
Participate in the City Nature Challenge on April 30 – May 2. Be part of an international project, support outdoor learning and exploration, and even integrate technology into the classroom.
Find an Educator Toolkit here: https://
Find a student-friendly explanation video here: https://youtu.be/
Visit the Houston project page on iNaturalist here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2021-houston-galveston.
Join in a fun challenge to observe and record wild species. It is easy to participate by making observations on your own using the iNaturalist app. Just take a picture of a plant or animal, and the community will help identify which species it is. Any observation in the greater metropolitan area of Houston will count during the four-day challenge. You can participate by exploring the life in your backyard (and use the hashtag #backyardchallenge on social media), in your neighborhood park, or from an apartment balcony or courtyard. You can also help with IDs for other people’s observations to increase our species count.
Pollinator migration season is nearly here! Show your love of these beneficial insects by attending the Fourth Annual Pollinator Festival and Plant Sale on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mercer Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road in Humble.
What to Buy
Shop plants that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to your garden. The Mercer Society’s (TMS) Pollinator Plant Sale features host and nectar plants, including blue mistflower, purple coneflower, cardinal flower, Texas lantana, and scarlet tropical sage. Create a stunning home habitat for monarch butterflies by planting a wide variety of Texas native milkweed, including zizotes milkweed, green milkweed, aquatic milkweed, swamp milkweed, and antelope horns. Bring other local and migrating species to your yard by adding Texas native host plants. False nettle attracts red admirals and queens, spicebush lures spicebush swallowtails, and maypop brings gulf fritillaries.
Activities
This free, outdoor community event also features a scarecrow contest, lawn games, educational displays, and a book sale hosted by the Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library and Friends of the Library. Visit local exhibitors and vendors and participate in pollinator-themed activities, including the Pollinator Partners Promenade, a self-guided garden tour. If you need advice on pollinator plant selection or garden maintenance, visit a Harris County master gardener at the Ask a Master Gardener tent or connect with knowledgeable TMS plant growers.
Live performances will occur throughout the day, including an eclectic mix of Appalachian fiddle tunes and Celtic music by the Dulcimer Doin’s, Native American flute music by the Spring Cypress Flute Circle, and popular songs from the 1920s to today by the Houkulele Strummers. To add to the fun, visitors are invited to dress in bee, butterfly, bat, hummingbird, or flower attire.
What to Bring
Plant sale attendees are encouraged to bring something to transport their purchases, as wagons are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Proceeds from the Pollinator Plant Sale benefit Mercer Botanic Gardens. The festival is held outdoors at Mercer’s East Side Main Garden. Event parking is at the West Side Arboretum. Parking for those with disabilities is at the East Side Main Garden. Shuttles are available to transport visitors between the garden and arboretum on the east and west sides. A parent or guardian must accompany children younger than 16. Volunteer opportunities are also available. Email jhartwell@hcp4.net for details.
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour is returning to Houston on January 29, 2022. Hosted by the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, this year’s film fest will be a hybrid event, taking place both online and in person at MATCH to accommodate everyone’s COVID safety preferences.
SPONSORS
Thank you to our 2022 Sponsors:
26th Annual Birding Classic
The biggest, longest, wildest bird watching tournament in the U.S.!
Registration deadline: April 1, 2022
What is the Birding Classic? Who can join the fun?
- All levels and ages of birders are welcome to join this Texas bird watching event during the amazing spring migration.
- There’s a tournament category for everyone – from the beginning backyard birder to the competitive lister!
- Registration fees raise money for Texas bird and birding conservation project grants.
- Gather your team, register, and go birding – it’s truly that simple.