Pedernales Falls Fest

🎉 Come celebrate 100 years of State Parks with a festival around the park and under the stars!

*Weather Permitting!

To celebrate 100 years of State Parks we’ll be celebrating the community around Pedernales Falls, the history we find here, and the benefits of having such dark skies! We’ll have guided hikes, table demonstrations, speakers, stargazing with constellations, deep sky objects, planets, and nighttime activities. There will also be night hikes, kids activities, wildlife viewing and more! Night sky friendly lighting will also be advertised and demonstrated.

You are invited to safely observe the sky using electronically-assisted astronomy setups. We’ll have astronomy talks, telescopes, and constellation tours. Bring your binoculars if you have them, and we’ll help you use them to observe. PLEASE READ BELOW:

• This is one of many 100-year celebration events happening in Texas state parks this year. Entry to a park is free on the day it hosts an official 100-Year celebration event (applies to day passes only). Guarantee entry by reserving your free day pass up to one month before this special event.
• Schedule:
  • 6pm - Event opens with Master Naturalists tables, Backyard bass, and solar viewing with powerful and safe equipment. (All at Star Theater)
  • 6:30pm - Guided Sunset hike to the Falls (Meets at Falls Parking Lot)
  • 7:12pm - Sunset
  • 7:30pm - Mothing Activity at the Star Theater opens
  • 8:00pm - 10pm - Austin Astronomical Society opens at Star Theater with telescopes and speakers.
• The Star Theater is located in the same area as the Wildlife Viewing area (bird blinds) and the equestrian trailheads. Parking is available in the field behind the bird blinds. The parking area is dirt and grass, and there is a gravel pathway leading out to the Star Theater. The ground is level and mostly flat.
• Please no lights or cell phones once you enter the viewing area. Each time you look at your cell phone or a blueish light you lose your night vision for up to 40 minutes. This makes it very hard to see the stars even with a telescope!
• If you bring a flashlight, make sure it's a soft red light or has a red filter on it. Normal lights can mess up your natural night vision and interfere with the telescopes.
• Dogs will NOT be allowed around the telescopes. Dogs are allowed at all other activities as long as they are leashed.
• No smoking in the viewing area. Smoking allowed in the parking lot.
• Many of the telescopes/equipment are owned and operated by these astronomers, so please don't touch the equipment unless it's OK with them. Walk on up to any of the scopes and ask what they're looking at! They'll all be happy to share.
• This event is weather permitting. If it's just cloudy we'll still be out there, but rain will force us to cancel the event. Look for updates on our Facebook page.
• Do you want to participate as a member of the local community? Email Stephen Garmon at Stephen.Garmon@tpwd.texas.gov to learn how you can be a part!
• Camping with us that night? If you already have reservations to camp overnight, you won’t need a day pass! Just present your camping permit to the event staff to get free entry!

Map to the Star Theater

Star Party Telescopes