EmilyAnn Theatre Butterfly Festival April 21, 2018
EmilyAnn Theatre Butterfly Festival April 21, 2018
EmilyAnn Theatre Butterfly Festival
Nothing says “spring” for those of us in Wimberley like the yearly Butterfly Festival held on the third weekend of April each year. This year, the Annual Festival is coming up on April 22, 2017 and since my youngest is in high school I am anxiously looking around for any children I can commandeer to experience this magical day with me. Not that she won’t go with me – she loves the Butterfly Festival too, but there is something about the joy on the face of a younger child as they watch a “newborn” butterfly crawl around on a slice of cantaloupe while thousands more flutter around the gardens. (butterflies, not kids).
EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens
More details about EmilyAnn Theatre’s performances and events.
But, actually, kids are fluttering and laughing all over the 12-acre grounds as well – chasing butterflies with nets and plastic cases, playing on the castle stage or in the life size musical garden; digging up “dinosaur bones” in the the sand pit or eating hot dogs at picnic tables under the oaks. The magic is in the butterflies though. Everywhere, butterflies learning to fly. Butterflies hovering in the trees and landing on the purple, yellow and pink flowers located throughout the grounds. Butterflies who have never tasted the joy of a juicy piece of fruit!
The Festival began as a fundraiser for the theatre, but also as an experiment for local Wimberley kids. Since all three of mine went through school here we experienced the life cycle of a butterfly during kindergarten, fifth grade and in girl scouts – twice! Each year, local classrooms, day cares, businesses, churches and organizations take on the responsibility of caring for the caterpillars and cocoons. Then, on release day, volunteers release the cases of thousands upon thousands of butterflies. Every half hour, little ones line up with their $1 slice of cantaloupe or watermelon and watch the tiny translucent wings of the butterflies as they crawl around and explore their temporary juicy home – and finally take the leap and join their brothers and sisters up in the trees. There is also entertainment during the day – elementary school children performing their spring play and other performances by local musicians.
For adults, besides watching the kids and the butterflies, the joy is experiencing spring in the hill country. The EmilyAnn Gardens are absolutely amazing at this time of year, and even though there are children running everywhere, it is still possible to steal some quiet among the trees, or walk the trail to the Veteran’s Memorial and see the town of Wimberley and the view of the hill country from the top of the hill. There are also art and plants for sale, plenty of food and drinks, numerous opportunities for nature photography and education booths from master naturalists.
I also love to visit with Mother Nature who walks around posing for photos and working her charms to ensure the weather is perfect, the flowers are blooming and the birds are chirping! I’ve enjoyed watching the festival grow and change each year and some of my favorite photos of my kids and the kids I love are from afternoons spent here, so it is very near and dear to my heart as it is for most of us here in Wimberley. This year’s Butterfly Festival is April 22nd, with opening ceremonies at 9am and lasting until 5pm. The cost is donation only and only cash is accepted for food and items at the EmilyAnn Store. Be sure and bring good walking shoes, a snack for the kids and a camera with a full battery – I promise you will need it! Oh, btw, EmilyAnn Theatre is not pet friendly so leave the dogs! ~ JB
EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens
More details about EmilyAnn Theatre’s performances and events.
