Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host its annual Garden Gala Day Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St., in historic Nacogdoches.

The sale will feature more than 300 varieties of hard-to-find, “Texas-tough” plants, including Texas natives, edibles, heirlooms, tropicals, perennials, shrubs and trees, with an emphasis on pollinator-friendly selections, as well as exclusive SFA introductions. The featured plants are extensively trialed before being offered to the public and are produced by SFA Gardens staff members and volunteers.

This popular event benefits the SFA Mast Arboretum, PNPC, Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden and Gayla Mize Garden, along with educational programs that are hosted monthly at the gardens. Educational programs provided at the SFA Gardens reach more than 15,000 participants annually.

Parking will be available at SFA’s Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center, 2428 Raguet St., and visitors are encouraged to arrive early and bring a wagon to haul their plants.

For more information and a list of available plants, call (936) 468-4404, or visit sfagardens.sfasu.edu two weeks before the sale.

The Stone Fort Museum on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University will serve as the venue for a St. Patrick’s Day concert by local band El Camino Real de Nacogdoches from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 16.

According to band members Paul Driver, Jon Hall, Charlie Jones, Mark McLain, Robbie Roach, Craig and Michelle Smith, and Jesse Tingle, the band is East Texas’ answer to The Old Crow Medicine Show, an Americana string band based in Nashville, playing old-time acoustic music using the fiddle, guitars, mandolin, banjos and percussion.

“Just as hands-on activities at the museum help learners, young and old, connect to their studies in new ways, performances relative to the musical heritage of Texas make history come alive,” said Carolyn Spears, curator of the Stone Fort Museum.

The St. Patrick’s Day musical celebration will showcase Celtic, as well as bluegrass, traditional country, Appalachian, folk and other music genres.

“The Irish brought their traditions to Nacogdoches early on,” Spears said. “The 1850 census listed more than 1,400 Irish living in Texas, and there were more than 3,000 listed by 1860. This concert will allow us to enjoy traditional music from Ireland, as well as music that celebrates the rich history of Texas.”

El Camino Real de Nacogdoches formed in 2002. The band has played at a variety of art, theatrical and musical events associated with SFA. It also has been featured during Nacogdoches’ annual Blueberry Festival, Old-Time Christmases at Millard’s Crossing and The Pine Knot Music Co-op. In 2017, the band released it first CD, “Camino Real: The Nacogdoches Sessions.”

The concert is free and open to the public. Weather permitting, the band will perform on the downstairs porch. Light refreshments will be served and include traditional Irish treats.

For more information, contact Spears at (936) 468-2408 or cspears@sfasu.edu.

SFA Gardens will host its annual Little Princess Tea Party at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30, in the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

Make plans to join charming butterfly fairies for a delightful party with treats, fairy gardens, magic and merriment among the enchanting pines and azaleas.

“The Little Princess Tea Party has become a popular tradition at SFA Gardens,” said Elyce Rodewald, SFA Gardens education coordinator. “This event provides an opportunity for children to experience the outdoors in a unique way and spend quality time with family members. It definitely encourages creativity and imagination, and I think the adults have as much fun as the children.”

Princesses are encouraged to wear their favorite princess or fairy apparel and enjoy a magical day in the garden. This event is recommended for princesses ages 3 to 10 who are accompanied by an adult. Tickets cost $35 per person and can be reserved online at sfagardens.sfasu.edu. Seating is limited.

For more information, contact SFA Gardens at (936) 468-1832 or sfagardens@sfasu.edu.