San Marcos Discovery Center
All photos courtesy Betsy Cross
Betsy Cross
The annual San Marcos Discovery Center Native Plant Sale and Monarch Festival, held on October 10, 2026, brought together community partners and nature lovers of all ages for a day of learning, exploration, and celebration.
Hays County Master Naturalists greeted visitors, hosted informational tables, and shared their knowledge and enthusiasm throughout the day.
Plants with a Purpose
The native plant sale offered visitors an opportunity to bring a little more nature home. With a wide selection of Texas native plants and knowledgeable volunteers and Discovery Center staff on hand to answer questions, gardeners could find plants suited to their landscapes while learning how to support monarchs, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.
Native plants do more than add beauty to our gardens. They provide food, shelter, and habitat for the wildlife that shares our Hill Country landscape. Every new planting helps strengthen that connection.
A long table filled with free native milkweed plants offered visitors an added opportunity to help support monarch populations.
The Monarch’s Journey
Volunteers from the Texas Master Gardener Program welcomed youngsters and their families to the Monarch Migration Obstacle Course.
Kids crawled and fluttered their way through spider webs, wintry weather, and other challenges along the obstacle course, experiencing some of the hazards monarchs encounter during migration.
This interactive trail gave young festivalgoers a glimpse into the real-world challenges monarchs face during their fall and spring migrations:
Habitat loss and pesticide exposure: The loss of native plants and the use of pesticides in agriculture and landscaping can threaten monarchs and the milkweed their caterpillars depend on.
Vehicle collisions: Monarchs risk collisions with vehicles as they cross busy highways and interstates along their migration routes.
Changing weather patterns: Shifting weather conditions can disrupt migration cues and affect the availability of crucial plants along the way.
Natural obstacles: Strong winds, droughts, cold snaps, and predators present additional challenges during their long journey.
Partners in Conservation
The festival brought together a variety of community organizations, each sharing its own knowledge, resources, and enthusiasm for the natural world. Visitors had opportunities to explore educational displays, ask questions, and learn about conservation efforts taking place throughout our community.
Events like the Native Plant Sale and Monarch Festival remind us of the value of working together.
Hays County Master Naturalists joined these community partners throughout the day, welcoming visitors, sharing information, and helping families connect with nature.
Thanks to the San Marcos Discovery Center and its many community partners, a one-day celebration can inspire something lasting—a greater appreciation for nature and a shared commitment to protecting it.
Niki Lake, San Marcos Discovery Center Coordinator, gets into the monarch spirit.