SNAKEFESSST
San Marcos Discovery Center
Festival organizer Niki Lake shares a close encounter with “Champ,” a Mexican Hognose snake, inviting Snakefessst visitors to see and gently touch the remarkable reptile. All festival photos courtesy Betsy Cross
Betsy Cross
“Snakefessst 2025 at the San Marcos Discovery Center on September 13 was a slithering success, with more than 1,600 people turning out to learn about and enjoy snakes.
Sponsors included Austin Reptile Service, Astound, JGA Roofing Systems, Reptilandia, and Leinneweber Services. Their support covered both nonvenomous and venomous snake displays (the best ever!); a visit from Gomez, the 14-foot, 105-pound Burmese python from the San Antonio Zoo; prizes for the youth art contest; and even a handwashing station.
Another key ingredient to the event’s success was the dedication of volunteers and partner booths. Community volunteers included members of the Hays County Master Naturalist Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist™ and the Texas State University Pre-Vet Society, both of whom hosted booths.”
—Niki Lake, Discovery Center Specialist
Other partner booths featured the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance, San Marcos River Foundation, Texas State University Wildlife Society, Texas Outdoor Family, Bat Conservation International, and the Central Texas Herpetological Society.
Educational talks were a highlight of the day. Presentations included the San Antonio Zoo with Gomez the python, “Snake Safety” by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Park Ranger Ryan Collister, “Snake Myths” by Clinton Szymanski, a snake behavior demonstration by Central Texas Herpetological Society and the Discovery Center, and engaging stories from world-renowned herpetologist Dr. Harry Greene.
Vendors added even more variety this year, including Reptilandia, author Jessica Lee Anderson, Cuddle Crafts, Creations by Kelly, René Perez Art, and live screen-printing by Print This. Refreshments were provided by Tikiz, with cool shave ice and ice cream available for purchase.
The Youth Art Contest—a first for Snakefessst—was incredible, with more than 150 entries! These works will soon be displayed on the Snakefessst tab of the Discovery Center website.
Other attractions rounded out the fun, including Snake Yoga with Mandy Golian, Snake Music with Molly Hayes, a giant crawl-through snake skeleton, educational games and displays, guided herp walks, and photo opportunities.
And inside the Nature Center, there was still more…
Snakefessst 2025 slithered into the San Marcos Discovery Center with record crowds, dazzling snake displays, snake yoga, and a 14-foot long, 105-pound python named Gomez.
