The Sabine-Neches Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist™ will present Champions for Nature at the YMBL South Texas State Fair, Saturday-Sunday, March 28-29, 2026 from noon-6pm. Located in the Ford Exhibit Hall, this immersive, outdoor educational experience will be made up of local groups whose sole purpose is to promote awareness, education about and love for nature.
This year’s exhibiting partners, along with the Sabine-Neches Chapter, are Long Leaf Ridge Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist, Big Thicket Association, Big Thicket National Preserve, Golden Triangle Sierra Club Group, Native Plant Society of Texas-Beaumont Chapter, Village Creek State Park, Big Thicket Biosphere Reserve, Nature Conservancy-Roy Larson Sandyland Sanctuary. Big Thicket Natural Heritage Trust, Texas Black Bear Alliance, Texas A&M Forest Service and new this year, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary among others.
“This is our fifth year here at the fair and we keep building upon the success of the event each year, reaching over 10,000 adult and youth interactions since 2022. The Champions from Nature event is our Chapter’s largest outreach event and we are excited to share the tremendous exposure this event provides with these organizations under one roof to show the public just how much we have to offer in Southeast Texas,” said Nancy Angell, Co-Public Outreach Director for the Sabine-Neches Chapter and event organizer. “Each year, our chapter conducts over 40 public outreach events throughout our service area. With this single event, we are able to reach out to over 10 times as many people, so it is vital that we continue to stress the importance of promoting and protecting our natural resources in all possible ways. We do that through volunteer service, education and public outreach.”
With the success of the event last year, we are excited to, again, bring all of these organizations under one roof to show the public just how much we have to offer in Southeast Texas,” said Nancy Angell, Public Outreach Director for the Sabine-Neches Chapter and event organizer. “It is vital that we continue to stress the importance of protecting our natural resources. We do that through education.”
Angell said there will be something for all ages. “From interactive games to educational videos to impromptu presentations, there is something for everyone. We will also have Bigfoot, an eight-foot-tall creature made entirely of recycled bags and other post-consumer waste, returning again which provides excellent selfie opportunities for all. The event is free with admission to the fair, so bring the whole family.”
The mission of the Texas Master Naturalist Program is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas.
For information about becoming a Texas Master Naturalist, visit www.txmn.tamu.edu. For more information about the Sabine-Neches Chapter and/or the fair exhibit, contact us through our Facebook page or email us at [email protected].