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Highlights Archive: September
Gila River Festival (2010)
2011 Dates: September 15 - 18
Not long after we moved to New Mexico, we headed northwest of Las Cruces to Silver City. My husband, Brian, is an artist and wanted to visit the numerous art galleries. I was hoping to find some of the activities related to the Gila River Festival, sponsored by the Gila Conservation Coalition. While we found a number of interesting galleries and had a nice lunch, we didn't stumble upon the festival. Turns out, you actually have to know where you're headed!
This is the sixth year of the festival, which takes place September 16 - 19. According to the brochure, "This year's Festival promises to instill a sense of wonder and connectedness to the Gila River, as well as to promote an understanding of the human role in sustaining this remarkable, yet fragile ecosystem."
The festival consists of four days of everything from a wildlife photography workshop to a kayaking trip on the Gila. There will be a number of river lectures, writing workshops, art exhibits, films, and more at locations such as the Silver City Visitors' Center, Silco Theater, and, of course, out in nature. Some of the activities are free, but many have a minimal fee of $8 or $15. You can learn about the plants, jaguars, bats, birds, fish, bugs, and macroinvertebrates of the area. A workshop entitled "Otterlicious" is a field trip to the place along the river where otters have been released.
To learn more about the Gila River Festival, go www.gilaconservation.org or call (575) 538-8078. Keep in mind that many of the workshops fill up quickly, so you may want to take advantage of their on-line registration at the website.
- Cheryl Fallstead
