‘Wild West Wildlife’ Festival at the Briscoe Jan. 27
Free Community Event
It’s impossible to picture the American West without the animals and the untamed natural beauty of the landscape. And it’s all being celebrated at the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s annual Wild West Wildlife Festival on Saturday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum’s campus on the banks of the River Walk.
The free community event includes complimentary admission to the museum and its exhibitions, as well as a beastly day of animal fun, education and hands-on crafts for all ages to enjoy. Featuring art, storytelling and more to inspire everyone to explore the nature all around them, the festival will be held rain or shine in the museum’s Jack Guenther Pavilion.
The Wild West Wildlife Festival highlights the wildlife that calls the West home, celebrating the flora and fauna that define the West – and inspire Western art. With a focus on Texas habitats and creatures great and small, everyone will learn more about the animals and natural beauty that put the “wild” in the wild West. Local wildlife experts will be on hand to share details about the animals that call San Antonio home and animal-themed art activities will give everyone something wild to enjoy. All activities are free and include:
- Enjoy animal stories with Miss Anastasia, the beloved former elementary teacher who makes books come to life during her story times.
- Dive into what owls eat by exploring owl pellets. The undigested part of what an owl eats, owl pellets are a great way to uncover what owls eat and are often dissected to discover what bones and more are left behind after owls enjoy their dinner.
- Join Mitchell Lake Audubon Center educators and learn about animals you might have seen in your own backyard, how to match them to their tracks, and create your own track to take home. Learn how pollinator plants help out these animals and other wildlife while making your own paper pot to fill with a nectar plant to benefit these animal friends.
- Explore animal skins, skull replicas, and more with Hill Country State Area as they share information about Texas wildlife and examples of the many ways people in the past interacted with nature.
- Ride a butterfly thanks to the fantastically decorated bikes courtesy of the Bike Zoo.
- Make your own hummingbird feeder and other wild crafts such as turtle weaving, bear fork painting, bison masks and pressed flower bookmarks.
And if you get wildly hungry, Lada Ladies food truck will be on hand to feed your inner beast.
Head West from the Heart of San Antonio
An oasis of Western beauty just off the River Walk, the McNutt Sculpture Garden and the museum grounds feature 35 sculptures portraying various aspects of Western life. Inside the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic museum shop, providing art, culture, history and entertainment.
The Briscoe is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Admission is free for children 12 and under and for active duty military members. The museum is proud to participate in Museums For All, Blue Star Museums and Bank of America Museums on Us. The Briscoe is located on the south end of the River Walk, near the Arneson River Theatre and La Villita, with convenient parking at the Riverbend Garage directly adjacent to the museum or one of many downtown surface lots. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.
Photos courtesy Briscoe Western Art Museum
