For Immediate Release
Héctor González, Communications Strategy Manager, TreeFolks
Email: hector@treefolks.org | office: 512-575-2870 | cell: 512-903-4253
A one-of-a-kind community celebration at Live Oak Brewing will bring together native trees, local organizations, food, family fun, and the many living wonders connected to our urban forest.
AUSTIN, Texas, March 16, 2026 — TreeFolks is inviting the entire community to gather for what promises to be the Biggest Celebration of Native Trees in Central Texas at the 2026 TreeFolks Friends and Family Picnic on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at Live Oak Brewing in Austin.
This will not be an ordinary picnic.
The TreeFolks Friends and Family Picnic is shaping up to be a vibrant, joyful, larger-than-life celebration of the trees that make Central Texas healthier, cooler, more beautiful, and more connected. Guests can expect an unforgettable day filled with opportunities to explore the wonder of native trees and the larger web of life around them, including birds, bugs, mushrooms, seeds, and more. The event will also feature community partners, local vendors, food, and activities designed to welcome families, supporters, volunteers, and curious newcomers alike.
At its heart, the picnic is about bringing people together around something essential: the natural world that sustains us all.
“TreeFolks has always believed trees bring people together, and this event is a big, joyful expression of that belief,” said Héctor González, Communications Strategy Manager for TreeFolks. “We want people to come out, have fun, connect with one another, and leave even more in love with the native trees and ecosystems that make Central Texas so special. If you care about this region, this is an event you do not want to miss.”
“TreeFolks is proud to create spaces where people can celebrate not only trees, but the deeper connections that make our communities stronger,” said Andrew Smiley, Executive Director of TreeFolks. “This picnic is about joy, belonging, and recognizing that native trees are part of what makes Central Texas feel like home. We want people of all ages to come together and experience that sense of wonder. It is going to be a beautiful, lively reminder of why caring for our urban forest matters so much.”
The event also reflects TreeFolks’ larger mission of empowering Central Texans to build stronger communities through planting and caring for trees. By turning the spotlight toward native trees and the many relationships they support, the picnic offers a fresh and exciting way for the public to experience environmental education, community pride, and local conservation in action.
From longtime TreeFolks supporters to people discovering the organization for the first time, the Friends and Family Picnic is designed to be welcoming, memorable, and full of energy. It is a celebration of spring, of community, and of the living systems that help Austin and Central Texas thrive.
TreeFolks encourages attendees to mark their calendars, invite their people, and come ready to celebrate. Because when a nonprofit throws the biggest native tree celebration in Central Texas, that is not the kind of event you hear about afterward and feel good about missing.
For more information, visit TreeFolks.org/picnic.
About TreeFolks
TreeFolks empowers Central Texans to build stronger communities through planting and caring for trees. Since its founding, TreeFolks has engaged thousands of volunteers, planted hundreds of thousands of trees, and advanced a more resilient future for Central Texas communities and landscapes.
Photo credit: Henry Hwu
