Page 48 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2025-2026 Audubon Christmas Bird Count The Christmas Bird Count is sponsored by the National Audubon Society and is held throughout the Americas. The counts are done from December 14th to January 5th every year. For more information visit https://www.audubon.org/ conservation/science/christmas-bird-count or call your local state park for more information: in Weslaco - Estero Llano Grande State Park, (956) 565-3919; in Mission - Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, (956) 584-9156. Fourth of July Butterfly Count The North American Butterfly Association holds annual Fourth of July butterfly counts all over the nation. The Mission-area count is coordinated by the National Butterfly Center. The NABA Butterfly Count Program also includes a Spring Seasonal Count and a Fall Seasonal Count. For more information, visit https://naba.org/butterfly-counts/. Monarch Fest Quinta Mazatlán invites guests to come dressed as a bug for the Mayors Bug Parade and more at Monarch Fest. For the past several years, Quinta Mazatlán has organized Monarch Fest, a memorable festival to cel¬ebrate the mi¬gration of mon¬arch butterflies through South Texas. The event is usually held in early April with over 3,000 attendees participating. Monarch Fest is an annual celebration that offers a fascinating learning platform to people of all ages, as they unravel the magic of the monarch butterfly. The event fea¬tures cooking demonstra-tions, butterfly stilt walkers, scout badge ac¬tivities, a cater¬pillar tot cor¬ner, pollinator art installations with interac¬tive fun, spe¬cial speakers, garden tours, arts and craft activities, live music, dance performanc¬es, a farmers market with in¬credible finds, native plants for sale, and more. Tickets are $5 per person, with children two years of age and young¬er free. Tickets may be pur-chased at Quin¬ta Mazatlán pri¬or to the event, or at the gate the day of the event. Skip the line at the gate and purchase tickets online at quintamazatlan.ticketleap.com. Follow Quinta Mazatlán on Facebook for daily reveals on special guests, activities and more. For further information call Quinta Mazatlán at (956) 681-3370. Ocelot Festival The Ocelot Conservation Day and Ocelot Run return to South Texas every year in early March. The event, held at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, is to share information about ongoing conservation efforts and to educate about ocelots in a family-friendly environment that includes games, activities, and presentations. Visitors can expect to learn more about ocelots, the work underway to conserve them, and how they can help. For more information about the event, visit the website at www.flanwr.org Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival Birders will flock to the Valley in search of the specialty birds of the Rio Grande Valley for the 32nd annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. The festival runs from November 5th to the 9th, with field trips, keynote speakers, afternoon presentations, a rousing trade show, an exciting silent auction, a souvenir booth, and local art and photography. For more information, such as field trip destinations and registering, visit www.rgvbf.org. The Great Texas Birding Classic The Great Texas Birding Classic, coordinated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, takes place every year from April 15th through May 15th, with a registration deadline of April 1st. With more than 40 tournament categories based on age, region of the state, length of time birding, and more, there is truly something for everyone. It is the biggest, longest, wildest bird watching tournament in the United States! For information and dates, visit https://tpwd.texas.gov/ events/great-texas-birding-classic/ or call 512-389-4500. Texas Butterfly Festival The 29th Annual Texas Butterfly Festival will be held from November 1st to the 4th, 2025 in Mission. The festival includes educational workshops and field trips across the Rio Grande Valley for anyone interested in learning more about butterflies, dragonflies, and birds. Whether you are a curious nature enthusiast or an experienced naturalist, you are sure to find something thrilling in this 4-day festival that features expert guides, speakers, and instructors. Online registration opens May 1st. For more information visit www.texasbutterflyfestival. com, or call the National Butterfly Center at (956) 5835400. Texas International Fishing Tournament The 85th annual Texas International Fishing Tournament will be held from July 30th to August 3rd, 2025, in the Port Isabel-South Padre Island area. For information go to www.tift.org or call (956) 9438438.
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