Every day feels like Earth Day to some extent when you live in paradise, but once a year, the populace of the Coastal Bend gathers in official celebration of our surrounding natural beauty. Earth Day-Bay Day, hosted by the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation (CBBF), has been a South Texas tradition since 1999. The 26th festival—held in Heritage Park on Saturday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.—promises family-friendly activities, interactive exhibits and educational demonstrations.
“It’s a free event for our community, and it really is designed to ultimately raise awareness, promote stewardship and educate our Coastal Bend community about all sorts of environmental-related programs,” said Satosha Patterson, CBBF project coordinator.
CBBF invites the public to catch the rotating schedule of presentations and gather as much eco-friendly giveaway gear as they can carry. “Any way we can give our kids that environmental bug early on is a win-win,” Patterson shared.
Among the local organizations in attendance, scholars from the University of Texas Marine Science Institute’s Amos Rehabilitation Keep and Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Del Mar College and even Texas A&M University–Kingsville inspire young minds, and the Port of Corpus Christi’s PORT-Able Learning Lab promotes the STEM industries. Valero’s popular plant giveaway puts 2,000 sprouts into the hands of growing gardeners, with Texas Master Naturalists planting seeds of knowledge about those native species.
The majestic Birds of Prey swoop in courtesy of Wild Sky Productions, alongside animal friends from Gladys Porter Zoo. Two-legged creatures enjoy Youth Odyssey’s rock-climbing wall and LyondellBasell’s hydration station. Fishing’s Future stocks a 5,000-gallon portable pond with one- to two-pound catfish. “This is a great tool that teaches kids about catching and releasing,” Patterson said.
The Earth Day-Bay Day poster, a Coastal Bend collector’s item for the past quarter-century, features the original artwork “Healthy Waters” for 2025. “I depicted an oyster because they are a vital keystone species and resource of the Coastal Bend,” said Kelsey McCreless, an environmental scientist at Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
“We wanted it to be a representation of our Coastal Bend’s natural resources,” Patterson said of the winning piece selected from two dozen entries exhibited at the Art Center of Corpus Christi. “In all of our posters, there’s never been an oyster.”
“This vital keystone species wouldn’t thrive without healthy brackish waters,” McCreless wrote in her artist’s statement. “Together, with dedication, we can protect our water bodies and conserve ecosystems for generations to come.”
Whether festival goers take home a poster or a plant or a fishy photo of their first catch, Earth Day-Bay Day makes an impact beyond memories. “It’s much more than just a one-day event,” Patterson shared. “It’s information that you will use forever and pass on.”
