South Padre Island is thrilled to announce the annual HalloWings Across South Padre Island Monarch Migration Celebration. The event will take place on Sunday, October 27, at the South Padre Island Birding Nature Center and Alligator Sanctuary.
The fall season is a gorgeous time of year on South Padre Island. Monarchs are unique due to their two-way migration. Celebrate the beautiful and spectacular fall migration as they travel down the Texas coastal flyway to their winter home in central Mexico.
McAllen Public Library will be kicking off its 11th annual international-award winning book festival with an extensive slew of authors for readers of every age. Go find out who’s coming and all the exciting and fun activities taking place during the event, including storytelling, book sales, author signings and other special guest appearances. Visitors can also meet the new mascot, Marty the Library Cat.
The South Texas Book Festival will take place from October 29, through Saturday, November 2, at the McAllen Public Library, 4001 N. 23rd Street. The event will be free and open to the public.
Keep McAllen Beautiful (KMB) is hosting its 13th annual Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at Westside Park, 1000 S. Ware Rd. The Arbor Day Celebration is a run, bike, and walk event that benefits everyone interested in personal health and the environment. Registration for the event is now open. This fundraiser will also benefit Keep McAllen Beautiful, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and will help increase awareness of the importance of planting and caring for trees in McAllen.
All events are open to everyone from amateurs to professionals. The day will begin with a 25 Mile/100K Bike Ride; 5K Run; 10K Run; a Kids’ Fun Run; and an ongoing Tree Workshop. This new location will feature exciting experiences for participants.
The Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA ISD) celebrated a groundbreaking moment with the grand opening of the PSJA Family Shop on Friday, October 18. This unique store, the first of its kind in the district, is not only a place to purchase exclusive PSJA ISD merchandise, but it also serves as an essential job training site for special needs students ages 18-21 from the PSJA Pathways Toward Independence (PTI) and LIFE Programs.
The PSJA Family Shop exemplifies the district’s commitment to creating opportunities for all students. By operating this retail space, students gain hands-on experience in retail management, customer service, and other essential workplace skills that prepare them for life beyond the classroom.
Registration is open to join the 2025 South Texas Border Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist training class. Training will be in-person. Cameron, Hidalgo, and Starr County residents over the age of 18 and Winter Texans are welcome.
As a chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program, the group develops well-informed volunteers to educate, outreach, and serve in the beneficial management of natural resources and areas in the Rio Grande Valley. Texas Master Naturalist is a unique educational volunteer program sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Sea Grant Program, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
On October 26, people living with ALS, family members, friends, caregivers, and others affected by ALS will gather at Bannworth Park Pavilion for the 2024 Walk to Defeat ALS Rio Grande Valley. ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It gradually robs people of the ability to walk, move, talk, swallow, and eventually breathe. ALS has no known cause or cure, and the community is coming together to make ALS livable for everyone, everywhere.
Monarch butterflies have captured the hearts of Texans for generations, from students in grade school classrooms growing them from caterpillars to full-grown adults to the Texas legislature designating the Monarch butterfly as our official state insect in 1995. What many Texans may not know is that these seemingly delicate creatures share our same grit and steadfast determination to survive.
Each year, Monarchs embark on a journey that spans thousands of miles, one of the most impressive migrations in the animal kingdom. This incredible voyage transcends borders, cultures, and time.
You may have spotted the Monarch migration, which can cover up to 3,000 miles from Canada to Mexico, passing through Texas. This 300-mile wide path stretches from Wichita Falls in the North to Eagle Pass in the South, making Texas a waypoint for these beautiful butterflies. During their migration, the Monarchs face numerous challenges, including extreme weather conditions, habitat loss, and a shrinking food supply, but in true Texas fashion, they face these challenges head—or antennae—first.