Friends of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

09/14/2026

Join us for the J Town Street Fair at beautiful Jones Brothers Park on the shores of Lake Travis!

This free, family-friendly community celebration brings together local businesses, live entertainment, delicious food, shopping, and fun for all ages in one of the most scenic locations in the Texas Hill Country.

Enjoy a day filled with:
* Local vendor market
* Live music on the Solstice Stages (2 stages with LIVE music!)
* Lucky Ducky Rubber Duck Derby on Lake Travis
* Kids Zone
* Food trucks
* Paddleboard rentals
* Beautiful lakefront views
* Community organizations and activities

Whether you arrive by boat or by land, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Bring your family, invite your friends, and spend the day celebrating everything that makes the North Shore of Lake Travis such a special place to live, work, and play.

Admission is FREE
Parking is FREE

More exciting announcements—including entertainment, vendors, activities, and special surprises—will be shared as they’re confirmed. Be sure to mark yourself as “Going” and follow this event for the latest updates!

📸 Park photo by Lance Clinton, EAA Chapter 1607 – Lake Travis

09/12/2026

Explore the Refuge that very few people get to see. Our Guided Hikes take you on nonpublic tracts and on public tracts. Led by experienced Volunteer guides whose knowledge range from Birds, fossils, Native Plants and more. Come join us for a FREE hike- registration required. Details on our events page.

09/11/2026

09/09/2026

Some good news coming out of Alaska!

09/08/2026

Tomorrow is the day.

We are so honored that Friends Board Chair, Elizabeth Gardner is a finalist for the Volunteer of the year award! She is an active volunteer in the community and we are thrilled she has chosen Friends of Balcones as one of her passions!

We are looking forward to Austin Gives Awards 2026!

Congrats to our 2026 Austin Gives Awards Finalists 🎉👇👇👇

Volunteer of the Year –
Caroline Roberts, Wolf House Austin
Cord Shiflet, Moreland Properties
Elizabeth Gardner, Deloitte
Kara Manier, Easy Street Capital
Lyndee Rodriguez, Frost Bank
Misty Montague, Truluck's Restaurant Group
Ryan Coaxum, Moody Bank
Vidya Moorthy, Austin Business Woman
Wendy Papasan, Papasan Properties Group

Employee Engagement –
Applied Materials
Bridge Insights & Media
Dell Technologies
Easy Street Capital
Five Stone Tax Advisers
Microsoft
Samsung Austin Semiconductor
Sundt Construction
Toyota of Cedar Park

Generous Business Award –

*Charitable Champion*
GrantAppli
High View Air, LLC
Lamar Advertising
Managed Facilities Solutions, LLC
Quiet Waters Plumbing
Zilker Media

*Big Heart*
Antonelli's Cheese
Hembree Bell Law, PLLC
Lake Travis Zipline Adventures
Limestone Moving Co.
Northern Trust
Susser Bank

*Bold Giver*
American Constructors
EPCOR
O'Connell Robertson
SKG
vcfo
VeraBank

*Community Leader*
Broadway Bank
Cirrus Logic, Inc.
Delta Air Lines
Kerbey Lane Cafe, Inc.
PNC Bank
Texas Mutual Insurance

Your dedication to giving back truly embodies the heart of Austin. It is our privilege to recognize these local leaders and organizations who are driving positive change in our community. 🩵❤️

Let’s celebrate their impact together:
Sept. 9 • 11 AM - 1 PM • Austin Marriott Downtown
Event Tickets & Tables Available Here: https://hubs.ly/Q04pC2j80

09/02/2026

What an amazing legacy she has left in CA. One person really can make a difference.

The National Wildlife Refuge Association presented its inaugural Lifetime Refuge Friend Award to Florence LaRiviere, honoring more than six decades of extraordinary leadership to protect the wetlands, wildlife, and open spaces of San Francisco Bay.

08/27/2026

It's hard to believe, but fall Migration is already in full swing! Check out birdcast.org for live maps, migration alerts, and forecasts, and sign up for Email Migration Alerts - https://birdcast.org/migration-tools/local-migration-alerts/. Dim lights at night, Treat your window by day to help migrating birds avoid glass collisions, and make it to their destination safely.

08/26/2026