March 13-16 Grenwelge Park in Llano will be filled with imaginative and artistic people of all ages, gathered together to celebrate LEAF (Llano Earth Art Festival). This year marks the sixth annual festival where approximately 30 artists will be flown in from all over the world to spend the weekend in Llano.
LEAF is becoming popular worldwide because it is the proud home of the World Rock Stacking Championship. There is more to the art than just balancing rocks on top of one another and calling it a masterpiece. Rock stacking is an ingenious way to get close to nature. Events this year include competitions for building the tallest rock stack, best rock balancer, best rock arch builder, most rocks in a single tower and most artistic rock stack design. You don’t have to be a professional rock stacker to participate; study the materials you are working with, find a rock that inspires you, tap into your environment and start building. Most importantly- let nature inspire you! Rock stacking is a learned art that takes balance and patience. Many refer to it as relaxing and meditative because it allows you to make art from the earth, which is what LEAF is all about!
LEAF is unique from other festivals because it is focused around artists that create using primarily natural materials. The art is made in nature from temporary elements such as sand, stone, leaves, flowers and more. It’s up to mother nature to decide when the work will be washed or blown away. Some years, sculptures made at LEAF have lasted months after the festival was over, keeping the spirit of the festival alive throughout Llano.
If you don’t have an artistic bone in your body but you want to be a part of the fun, the festival is an interactive experience that offers educational workshops for both children and adults, such as yoga workshops, belly dancing, rock climbing, a primitive fire-starting tutorial, organic gardening, twig weaving, rock painting and more.
In conjunction with LEAF is the “Free Flow on the Llano” Vintage VW Car Show on March 14 and 15. Classic Volkswagen buses and beetles line the banks of the beautiful Llano River as festival attendees vote in categories.
For more information about LEAF, please visit https://www.llanoearthartfest.org/
16th Texas Spur Jeep Jamboree
March 19-21 brings the 16th Texas Spur Jeep Jamboree to the Texas Hill Country, and with it, about 200 jeeps. The jeep trails are located on the historic Inks Ranch—a hidden gem in Llano County. Because the ranch does not allow tall fences, animals are allowed to roam free as they would in nature. Inks Ranch is home to many animals, including black-buck antelope, aoudad sheep, mouflon and Barbados sheep, but the reason Inks Ranch is such a great location for jeep trail adventures is because it is located near Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, where the trail system winds around Watch Mountain—a 300-foot wall of granite. According to Jeep Jamboree USA, “Texas Spur Jeep Jamboree offers some of the most challenging trails of any of our events. Obstacles range from steep inclines to sandy draws. Be prepared to maneuver over and around large boulders.”
Whether you’re a new Jeep owner looking for an adventure or an experienced veteran, there are trails designed for the level of challenge that you seek. If you are interested in participated in the 2020 Jeep Jamboree, please visit https://jeepjamboreeusa.com/trip/16th-texas-spur-2020/
Better than a Boat Show
March 28 – 29, Boat Town on Lake LBJ is hosting their first in-house boat show from 10:00 am. – 5:00 p.m. In fact, it’s going to be Better than a Boat Show. Appetizers and beverage tastings will be served all weekend long, with live music played throughout the afternoons and evenings. Over twenty boats will be sitting in the water, giving guests the opportunity to demo the new models on site and compare them side by side. Boat Town specializes in recreational surf boats, family runabouts and pontoons. Sip, relax and have fun while you shop, even if you’re just looking for fun! Not only do they make the boat browsing experience easy, but the location couldn’t be more perfect—directly overlooking the beautiful Lake LBJ, and next door to the delicious Boat Town Burger Bar in case you work up an appetite shopping.
Wildflowers in Llano County
Wildflowers engulf the roadsides of Llano County each spring, beginning in early to mid-March and ending in mid to late April. Bluebonnets, Indian blankets, Indian paintbrushes, purple coneflowers, buttercups and other native flowers blanket the ground, making the daily commute a sight to behold. During the spring I spend my 37-mile drive from my home in Marble Falls to The Llano News office with my eyes wide and a grateful spirit, feeling blessed to live in the Texas Hill Country where people travel across the nation to catch a glimpse of the wildflowers at their peak.
2019 brought a bountiful crop of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes and blankets, with hopes that the 2020 flowers flourish the same. There are many areas of Llano County that offer beautiful views of the wildflowers, with four main roads in particular: Hwy. 16, Hwy. 29, Hwy. 71, and RR 1431. Here are a few wildflower drives that come highly recommend by the Llano Chamber of Commerce this spring:
Drive # 1
Head south to the edge of Llano and stay on the right side of the road. Take RR 2323 to the right and head six miles out of town. Turn left at the historical marker and go to 6-mile cemetery. There is a school behind the cemetery that is an interesting visit. Leaving 6-mile, turn left on RR 2323 and go to Prairie Mountain School. The drive is pretty all the way there. Backtrack to CR 106 that goes to RR 152 and Castell. Go across the slab and take CR 104 all the way to CR 102. Go to RR 152 and back into Llano.
Drive # 2
Head South out of Llano to Hwy. 71 like you are going to Austin. About eight miles out of town look for CR 308 and a sign that says Honey Creek Cemetery. Turn right, cross Honey Creek, and keep on the road all the way to Click. Follow the road around to Hwy. 17, going slow because of loose cattle and abundant wildlife. Turn left on Hwy. 71 and go to CR 307, Slab Road, and turn right. This road is 35 MPH so just enjoy the beautiful scenery. After crossing the slab, go up to RR 1431 and turn left, proceed to Hwy. 29, turn left and you will end up in Llano.
Drive # 3
Head North on Hwy. 16 to Baby Head Cemetery (this is one of the prettiest roads in Texas). Get out at the cemetery, go in the first gate, and take the short trail through the wildflowers. It is a nice walk and makes for some wonderful macro photography.
Get back on Hwy. 16, head south for about a mile and take CR 261. This takes you through hills and valleys with lots of wildflowers and abundant wildlife. The road takes a curve to the right where you will see a small herd of zebras in the field on the right. Keep following CR 216 until you see the sign that says Board Branch Cemetery, turn left and be amazed at the wildflowers and old graves that date back to the 1850s.
Turn left on CR 216 and go to RR 2241 that takes you around Lake Buchanan, Hwy. 29, and back into Llano.
You’ll see many people wade out into the field of wildflowers and sit down for photos, but locals advise against this because of the dangerous rattle snakes that may be lurking in the tall grass. Please be respectful of private property as you explore the beautiful wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country.
If you are a visitor looking to discover all the area has to offer, consider extending your stay and explore local shops and restaurants. There is always something to do in Llano County!
