Passport to Texas

 Holiday Trail of Lights in La Grange: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Thousands of twinkling lights illuminate a quarter mile walking trail this holiday season at the Monument Hill and Kriesche Brewery State Historic Sites in La Grange.

24—The trail of lights is open to the public five nights during the first part of December. That’s December third, ninth, tenth, sixteenth and seventeenth, from 6 pm to 8 pm. And our park is decorated with lots of lights and different ornaments throughout the grounds. Kriesche house is open, it’s decorated for Christmas. We have entertainment, refreshments, and Santa Clause is there for children to tell their wishes to.

Dennis Smith is park manager.

12—[It’s] just a really pretty site here. We sit on a 200 foot bluff that overlooks the city of La Grange—and see the night lights of the city. It’s just a really spectacular opportunity for people to come out and enjoy a great Christmas celebration.

Smith says the trail of lights is the perfect family activity for the holiday season.

20—Every year we have comments from families that say we’ve been coming out here for the last 20 years. Families that come from Houston, Austin, San Antonio—just to come back to the trail of lights each year. We see more and more of that as we go by, and are just really glad to see these families keep coming back with more generations of their families to help celebrate the season.

Find complete details about the tail of lights at Monument Hill and Kriesche Brewery SHS in La Grange, including entrance fees at www.texasstateparks.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 Leonid Meteor Shower: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

On November 17th, the sky will start to fall over Texas.

04—The Leonid Meteor Shower is a shower that occurs every November.

Anita Cochran, assistant director of the McDonald Observatory, explains this phenomenon.
20—It is a result of the debris left over from the passage of the Comet Temple Tuttle which comes passed the sun and passed the earth every thirty-three years. The earth’s orbit will intercept the orbit of the dust trail that was left when the comet passed the sun.

Those dust particles burning up in the earth’s atmosphere will create this year’s shower.

In 1833, the Leonid Meteor shower rained down thousands of meteors an hour. This caused some people to believe that these meteors signified the end of the world. This year, the shower won’t be as drastic.

21—There are times when we go through, and it’s approximately every thirty three years, when we see a huge storm because we go through the peak of it. We might see hundreds of meteors per hour. In this particular year, the peak of it will occur when it’s daytime in the United States and when people should go out and see it, which is the end of the night – they’ll only be seeing about ten meteors an hour.

Information on where to see the Leonid Shower at passporttotexas.org

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 More Halloween in State Parks: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Halloween and state parks go together. Our State park Guide Bryan Frazier has details about a “Spooktacular” event at Sea Center Texas, and an event at Inks Lake SP featuring creatures of the night—and a star party.

This is a real novel idea; park staff dress up like animals that come out at night. And they’re going to talk about some of the things that these animals do. Then they’re going to do a night hike, there’s going to be a costume party. Then there’ll be a star gazing party that they’ll have there because of the open night sky in the Hill Country.

This is their fifth year; they’re having the annual Sea Center Spooktacular. It’s very kid oriented; they’ll have a costume contest, they’re having treats. They can tour and see the aquarium, and the hatchery—the real, functioning hatchery that we have at Sea center. So, it’s a great opportunity to get kids plugged in. It gives them a safe place to go and do something for the Halloween event.

Thanks, Bryan!

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 Halloween in State Parks, 1: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Fall is a great time to visit a state park. In addition to festivals, our SP guide Bryan Frazier says visitors can also experience the darker side of the outdoors at State Parks this Halloween season.

And so we have some events at Estero Llano Grande SP. It’s their 6th annual spooky science fest. And they do crafts for the kids and interpretive programs with park rangers, and talk about some of the things that people are a little bit uncomfortable with maybe at night.

So check our calendar of events for Halloween and Fall festival events in State Parks.

Thanks, Bryan!

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

 Toyota Texas Bass Classic: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

The Fifth annual Toyota Texas Bass Classic Tournament returns to the Lone Star Convention & Expo Center in Conroe, October 28th through the 30th. Lenny Francoeur (Fran-Koor) is tournament director.

31—First and foremost, the Toyota Texas bass Classic raises funding and awareness for the Texas Parks and Wildlife.

So, you can come out with as many friends and family as you want to bring. Get your tickets in advance, and come out at the end of October and see some world class fishing and world class country music artists.

Francoeur says listeners may be able to obtain a pair of free tickets by going to the Bass Classic website and signing up for their newsletter …

08— …Until we have distributed the full quantity of tickets we have allotted.

Once the free tickets have been distributed, others will be available, says Francoeur, at a nominal charge.

06—We allow kids seventeen and under to get in free as long as they’re with a ticket adult. And we’re looking forward to seeing everyone in October.

Find a link to more information at passporttotexas.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.