If you haven’t already planned your Saturday around the Festival of Learning, I’m here to convince you to do just that. In no particular order, here are the top five reasons to head on over to the Branch Park Pavilion at Mueller between 10am and 1pm on March 1st.1. It’s free! Enough said. 2. You can combine your festival visit with breakfast or lunch nearby. Our event is happening at the beautiful Branch Park Pavilion at Mueller, which is surrounded by local eateries along Aldrich Street, like Kerbey Lane Cafe, Chuy’s, Honest Mary’s, sweetgreen, Rebel Cheese, Marufuku Ramen, Veracruz, Nautical Bowls, Dish Society, Bao’d Up, Colleen’s Kitchen, and more.3. The weather is going to be fabulous. The KXAN forecast says mid-70s and partly cloudy.4. It’s going to be a ton of fun! The schools and other organizations participating in the festival will be offering a huge array of activities for all ages: cardboard boat building, hands-on electrical math, a flood rescue challenge using spaghetti and gumdrops, haiku, blackout poetry, a nature museum, mini-journal decorating, doodle art, sensory sand experiences, pressed-flower bookmark making, logic puzzles, dice games, and a few surprises. If your kids (or you!) need to run around, there’s a public park and playground right next to the Pavilion (and see #3, above).5. You just might find the right fit for your kid. Among the 40+ participating programs are high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, preschools, and programs that serve a combination of these levels—or all of them. You can also learn about organizations that work with young adults, parents, and caregivers. The educators you’ll meet at the festival represent a diverse array of educational philosophies and curricula, including Montessori, International Baccalaureate, Reggio Emilia, Sudbury, Charlotte Mason, Acton, and many eclectic approaches to teaching and learning. While most are small independent private schools, some free public charter schools will be there, too. In addition, you’ll find after-school enrichment programs, summer camps, and learning support services. See a full list of all participating programs here on the official festival webpage.Convinced? Let us know you’re coming and share the event with friends on the Facebook Event page, and click over to the discussion section to scroll through all the updates on what you can expect to see, hear, touch, and do at each booth. You can also find lots of recent posts about the festival on our Instagram, including a little video featuring yours truly, created by Alt Ed Austin’s talented teen intern, Sam Coggin.See you at the festival!TeriTeri Sperry, Education Consultant & Festival Organizer | Alt Ed Austin
