December is Full of Christmas Cheer in McKinney

The holiday season is always special in nostalgic and quaint McKinney, Texas.

The wintery weather is on its way, but that won’t put a chill on the warm and cozy Christmas season in McKinney. Following is a list (all that we could find) of the events planned in McKinney this month.

On the Downtown Square
The following events take place in and around McKinney’s historic downtown.

Dec. 3, 10, & 17
Tuesday Tidings: Shop in downtown McKinney on Tuesdays. Take a receipt of $75 or more from a single store to MPAC for a $10 gift card from a downtown restaurant.  972-547-2660.

Dec. 6, 13, and 20
Visits with Santa on the downtown square, 972-547-2660.

Dec. 6-8
A Christmas Carol by the McKinney Repertory Theatre at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC), 214-544-4630.

Dec. 6-8, 13-15
Willy Wonka Jr. by McKinney Youth Theatre at Heard-Craig Performance Hall, 306 N. Church.

Dec. 7
Holiday Entertaining Tips, Hosted by Kitchenwares on the Square and Loco Cowpoke at MPAC, 214-544-4630.

Dec. 7-8
40th Annual Holiday Tour of Homes starting at Chestnut Square Historic Village, 972-562-8790.

Dec. 8
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by McKinney Summer Musicals at Gather in Downtown McKinney, 214-564-7196.

Dec. 13 & 21
Wrap It Up – giftwrapping service for gifts purchased in downtown at MPAC, 214-544-4630

Dec. 13
Youth Ballet of Texas’s “Krakatuk: A Nutcracker Prequel” at MPAC, 214-544-4630.

Dec. 14

• Cocoa & Carols with Children’s Chorus of Collin County on the downtown square. 972-547-2660.
• Turtle Creek Chorale at MPAC, 214-544-4630.
• Rotary Annual Christmas Parade of Lights on the downtown square, 972-547-2660
• Second Saturday in downtown McKinney, 972-547-2660

Dec. 18
Pam Tillis – An Acoustic Trio Christmas Concert at MPAC, 214-544-4630

Dec. 21
Polar Express movie at MPAC, 214-544-4630.

Other events happening in McKinney for the holidays include:
Dec. 1-Jan. 2
Holiday Light Display at Villages of Eldorado neighborhoods (Villages of Eldorado located in and around Valley Creek Trail, Country Club Drive and Eldorado Parkway.)

Dec. 12-20
The Christmas Journey, a 15-scene, drive-thru Christmas Journey portraying the life of Jesus Christ at First Baptist Church

Dec. 13
Free Christmas Concert by the McKinney Community Band at Christ Fellowship Church. 7:30 p.m. (Photos with Santa start at 6:45 p.m.)

Dec. 14
Gingerbread for Habitat at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 Virginia, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Preregister or pay at the door. Take home a kit to assemble or decorate an already assembled gingerbread house there at the church.

Dec. 14, 20, 21
Holiday Trail of Lights at the Heard Museum, 6:30-9 p.m. Holiday goodies, photos with Father Christmas and Mother Nature, and live holiday entertainment. 972-562-5566.

If you know of an event here in McKinney that we haven’t included here, please let us know at 214-544-1407. Check our website calendar, too, as events are being added regularly.

Merry Christmas and a very happy 2014 to you and yours!

April in McKinney (2013)

There’s no doubt about the fact that Spring is in full swing in McKinney, despite what Mother Nature was telling us with those mid-March colder-than-usual temps.

We’ve had several visitors in our offices the past week from northern regions of the country – Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York – and all of them, without fail, have asked if this weather is normal. They  no doubt came here hoping to escape the cold, which most did as their home states were all suffering from inch upon inch of snow.

So now that we prepare to turn the calendar to a new month, we wanted to share some of the things to be looking for in April. We’ll be updating this blog entry as we learn more, and to add links as we find them, so we invite you to come back and check this particular blog entry throughout the month.

Something New & Different:
High Noon on the Courthouse Lawn – Fridays in April and May
Grab a lunch and head to the downtown square to sit on the lawn or at bistro tables around the McKinney Performing Arts Center (a.k.a. the historic courthouse). Most of the downtown restaurants will offer lunches to go, too! Entertainment will include various musicians, fitness fun (hula hoop contest, table tennis,  and cycling) and even mechanical bull riding. Fridays in April and May, noon-1 p.m.

Chicken Coop & Victory Garden Tour – April 20
We can’t wait for this first-time event because it features backyard chicken coops and gardens within the historic district – talk about fun and different! The tour is free, starting at D&L AgMart at 201 W. University. (You even get free breakfast when you stop in between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.) Other goodies along the way, too. Check it out at the McKinney Historical Neighborhood Association website.

Shopping & Eating
Ladies Night Out at the Heard-Craig Center– April 18
Enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres, desserts, memorable music and appreciate the good fortune of being able to shop at some of the most unique and elegant retailers in the area…all in one location! Call 972-569-6909 to make reservations.

Cupcake Bliss Class – April 2
Learn about baking special cupcakes during a class at Market Street with food blogger and radio personality Lorie Fangio.

Heard Spring Native Plant Sale – April 5-7
Select from a wide assortment of landscape plants that are native to Texas- beautiful and drought-resistant to add color and depth to your garden.

Third Monday Trade Days – April 12-14
Old Red Lumberyard & the Flour Mill District Shopping Days – April 12-13

The Arts!
49th Annual Collin County Adult Art Show and Student Art Show – April 5-7
Hosted by the Art Club of McKinney at Heard-Craig Center for the Arts.

Heard-Craig Garden Concert Series – April 11 & April 25
The annual garden concert series features the E-Flat Porch Band on April 11 and the McKinney Community Band on April 25. Concerts are free and start at 7 p.m. in Katie’s Garden at the Heard-Craig House.

Fibers, Brushes and More – April 12
Participants will create four projects at four downtown studios/businesses – Diggin’ It, Happiness Is…Quilting, Wild Brush Studios and Walls of Clay.

Arts in Bloom – April 13
This all-day event is a perfect opportunity to experience the magic of McKinney’s historic shopping district during the spring season with art, music, food and much more. Also going on as part of the event: Art in the Making, Second Saturday on the Square, and Chalk Walk, among other happenings around the square that day.

Fun with Wellness & The Great Outdoors
Spring Family Fun Day (Part of the Mayor’s Health Partnership) – April 6
Family fun at Cooper Fitness in Craig Ranch featuring fit kid demonstrations, sand pit relays, healthy snack creation and more. Open to the public; $5 non-members, free for members. 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Heard Museum’s Celebrate Nature event – April 6
Explore the various habitats on the 289-acre Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary as well as enjoying family activities, live music and animal presentations in the outdoor amphitheater. Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Color Me Cooper 5K/10K – April 20
Start the off-road foot race dressed in white and cross the finish line covered in colors!

We’re in the process of getting these events loaded on our website and on our app, too, so you’ll soon be able to find them there, too.

October in McKinney: Fall Colors & Spooky Stuff

Grab a pumpkin and have a fun October in McKinney

Once again, we feel the hint of crispness in the air as our thoughts turn to all things autumnal –pumpkins, brilliant colors of changing leaves, and things that go bump in the night!

McKinney offers all these things and more. Check out the many activities in store for visitors and residents in McKinney in the month of October.

At the Heard Museum

October 2012 gets underway with the Oct. 2 opening of the annual Dinosaurs Live! exhibit at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary. T-Rex and his pals will be around until February, giving you plenty of time to see and hear these animatronic creatures, made right here in Collin County, by the way. Don’t forget the camera as family pictures with the dinos make great additions to annual holiday cards. (We know this first hand, as we at the McKinney CVB took our holiday picture with the T-Rex a few years back!)

Dinos return to the Heard Oct. 2

A little later this month at the Heard:

• Halloween at the Heard(Oct. 20, 6-10 p.m.) allows kids to trick-or-treat by flashlight along the nature trails, or take a detour to the “Haunted Forest” (not recommended for younger guests). There’s a costume contest (12 and under), concessions for purchase, and this year’s outdoor movie, “The Lorax.”  Tickets go on sale to members today (Oct.1) and to the general public on Oct. 8. Note: this event sells out fast!
• The monthly 2^nd Saturday Bird Walk (Oct. 13) allows bird and nature enthusiasts to explore the abundant bird life in the sanctuary. For more about birds and nature, watch this VIDEO.

Historic District Events

McKinney Community Band Free concert

Enjoy several entertainment options taking place in and around downtown McKinney this month:

• McKinney Repertory Theatre brings Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” (Oct. 5-6, 12-14) to the Courtroom Theater at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC).
• A capella sensations Pentatonix(winners of the Nov. 2011 “Sing-Off” Season 3 on NBC) perform at MPAC this month (Oct. 18), but sorry, folks – this show’s already sold out!

• The McKinney Community Band honors Serenity High during their “After Ghoul Special” concert featuring bewitching music befitting the Halloween season. The concert is free, but tickets are needed as seating will fill up quick for this special night at MPAC. Get tickets HERE.
  

  Scare on the Square

• Kids will fill the square by the thousands for Scare on the Square (Oct. 31, 4-6 p.m.) featuring trick-or-treating, a costume contest, and the McKinney Fire Department McTown Klownz(performing at 6:30 p.m. in a free show at MPAC).
• Rocky Horror Picture Show (Oct. 19, 9-11 p.m) – The adults can enjoy some kid-free Halloween fun, too, as they rock along with this cult-classic. Bring your water guns, newspapers, toast, rice and more, or buy your Rocky Horror Kit when you buy your ticket to this late night event at MPAC.
• Vocalists are submitting videos now (through Oct. 11) for the McKinney Mash-Up with online voting starting soon (Oct.12-26). Contestants will be notified Oct. 29 with the event taking place next month at MPAC.

Over at Chestnut Square Historic Village, enjoy the following family-friendly events:

• Visit the last weekly Farmers Market (Oct. 13) Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon, before monthly markets start up.
• At Legends of McKinney Ghost Walk (Oct. 20 & 27), guests will learn about McKinney’s ghostly legends on a self-guided tour through McKinney’s purported haunted locales, including this year’s addition of a haunted trolley ride to Finch Park (additional fee applies).
• The city’s Parks department is hosting an outdoor showing of “The Hunger Games” at the McKinney Community Center (Oct. 25, 6:30 p.m.). You bring the lawn chair and/or blankets while the city provides the movie and free popcorn.

Jon Christopher Davis

McKinney At-Large

Fall fun isn’t just for the historic district. Check out these Fall events elsewhere in the city:

• Wales Manor Vineyard and Winery again welcomes Jon Christopher Davis and friends to the outdoor stage for Music Under the Stars (Oct. 6).
• Pumpkinville (Oct. 17-31) features a pumpkin patch, display of farm equipment from the Collin County Farm Museum, tractor-pulled hay rides (times vary by day), pumpkin decorating, games, picnicking, a toddler-sized hay maze, and more. Free admission with pumpkin sale proceeds benefiting McKinney Christian Academy.
• Visit Storybook’s Ghost Ranch and Pumpkin Patch (thru Oct. 31) for wagon rides, petting zoo, hay maze and more.

Charitable Causes

Go to Pumpkinville at Tucker Hill & see their incredible fountain

• The 4th annual Wish 100 (Oct. 6, 8 a.m.) in which the city partners with The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas, McKinney Velo and Matrix Cycling for a 60-mile ride through McKinney and surrounding communities to raise funds to help make wishes come true for children battling life-threatening medical conditions.
• A special Sunday Brunch at Gather (Oct. 14) benefits CASA. Reservations are recommended and a photo booth will be on-site for capturing the fun with your friends.
• Walkers and runners can help multiple charities at the Stonebridge Racers’ Halloween Hustle (Oct. 28) which features 1K, 5K and 15K races.

This event list may look extensive, but our website calendar is full of many others, including Second Saturday art gallery openings, Third Monday Trade Days and Old Red Lumberyard, classes, FFA shows, garden workshops, Scouting badge days and more!  As always, check VisitMcKinney.com and the Destination McKinney Texas Facebook page for more event information.

And if you don’t have our Smartphone app yet (for iPhone, iPad or Android) by all means, go HERE now and get it! You’ll be glad you did.

Part 2: Unique By Nature? Yes, We Are! (The Sequel)

Fishing at Towne Lake Park

In the first part of our blog on “Natural McKinney,” we covered the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary (which happens to turn 45 years old this weekend!). Now in this second part of our series on what makes McKinney unique, we’ll highlight other McKinney locations, in addition to the Heard, where you can relax and experience nature.

Erwin Park

This beautiful 212-acre city park sits north of University/380 and east of N. Lake Forest (4300 County Road 1006) and features more than eight miles of  challenging mountain bike trails. The Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association (DORBA) maintains the trails which are twisty and full of dips and tree roots. Read reviews of the trails HERE.

Indian paintbrushes blanket the open spaces at Erwin Park.

Note: A McKinney CVB staff member tried walking the trails with a friend awhile back and let me say that we wished we were on bikes. We certainly did get our hearts going – great cardio workout – and our legs were quite achy (that’s a good thing!) from climbing in and out of the big dips. If you try this, we suggest you wear hiking boots instead of running shoes, and be prepared to yield to the cyclists as these really are their trails. 

Erwin Park offers a nice mix of wooded areas and open space where you can feel far away from the city when in actuality, “civilization” is a mere who miles south. Here you’ll find three picnic pavilions (you’ll need to reserve these by calling 972-547-2690), restrooms, playgrounds, and a fishing area. Probably the best part of Erwin Park – certainly for outdoor enthusiasts – is the fact that overnight camping is available here. Like the picnic pavilions, you’ll need to make reservations at the number provided. Keep cars on the paved areas please, and take a camera along as you’ll want to capture the action and the scenery.

A mama goose and her babies take a stroll near Boy Scouts camping at Myers Park.

Myers Park & Event Center

Right up the road from Erwin Park, you’ll find the rolling hills and large clusters of trees as well as a lake and gardens at the almost 160 acres of Myers Park & Event Center. Owned by the county (Collin County), it is a real gem with all sorts of activities going on year-round. The non-nature- related part of Myers Park features a show arena and stalls where FFA livestock shows, horse shows, rodeos and other  events go on, including dog agility shows that fill most weekends from fall into late spring/early summer.

Next to the arena is the park’s event venue with complete catering kitchen, restrooms, and large seating area, making it perfect for receptions, family reunions, and other parties, and just down the hill from this facility is a lakeside gazebo, a popular wedding spot. Cross the lake via the bridge and… hello, nature!

Research Gardens at Myers Park teach about drought-resistant plants.

Supervised youth group camping is allowed in Myers Woods (scouts, churches and such) where you’ll find fire pits and great spots for pitching tents. No cars or motorcycles are allowed in this rustic area so all supplies will need to be carried across the footbridge. Up the hill from the wooded area the perennial garden and a clearing area called the “Back 40.” This is a hilly, wide-open space perfect for large group events.

Note: A few years back, a re-enactment group held a weekend long event complete with cannons, horses and plenty of marching troops.

And back on the other side of the woods from the Back 40 are a pole barn and stage for use by groups for parties and meetings, as well as the Collin County Farm Museum, park office and the research gardens that were created and are cared for by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Collin County Master Gardeners.

Keep in mind that all activity at Myers Park needs to be scheduled through the park office or the Collin County Farm Museum by calling 972-548-4792 or emailing mpec@collincountytx.gov. May we suggest a visit to the farm museum followed by a family picnic near the lake or in Myers Woods? Or plan a group camping trip. Just make sure to carry anything out that you brought in, please.

And last but not least…

The bronze sculpture “Memories” sits on the northwest side of Towne Lake Park.

Towne Lake Park

This centrally-located community park features at its center a 22-acre lake with paddle boat rentals, a fishing pier, and fountains. Two picnic pavilions and picnic tables and benches scattered throughout the park make it a perfect spot to enjoy nature while relaxing with family and friends over a meal. A concession stand, playground, lighted horseshoe courts, sand volleyball courts and the challenging disc golf course and softball/baseball complex on the east side of the park prove Towne Lake offers a little something for everyone.

Also here are the community center and nature trails with meditation garden located to the south of the park. The city holds the annual summer concert series, Jammin’ in July, here as well. And when you do come, make sure to bring bread to feed the many ducks and geese who call Towne Lake home.

To reserve the picnic pavilions at Towne Lake, call 972-547-2690. For information about the paddle boat rentals, call 972-542-4865.

Watch for more ways McKinney is “Unique by Nature” in future blog entries from the McKinney CVB. Or check out all the city parks and trails on the city’s website or find parks listings on the Visit McKinney Texas smartphone app.

Gemütlichkeit, Ya’ll!: September in McKinney

Goofy hats, beer and great food are highlights of McKinney’s Oktoberfest.

Fall is on its way, despite record temperatures. As the mercury begins to drop this coming weekend, however, McKinney will start to feel more fall-like, just in time for fall festivals.

In September, guests and residents in McKinney will enjoy two signature events – one new event and one popular returning event.

Guests can take stagecoach rides during Spirit of the Cowboy Festival.

The inaugural year of the Spirit of the Cowboy Festival (Sept. 21-22) brings the Wild West to McKinney’s Chestnut Square and historic downtown along with old-time TV and movie Western actors. Enjoy gunfights, stagecoach rides, stickhorse rodeo for the kids, chuckwagon cooking, and much more during a two-day festival celebrating the early period of McKinney’s development.

German dancers and music bring a festive atmosphere to McKinney’s Oktoberfest

Downtown McKinney offers non-stop activities on Friday and Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28-29, as the city celebrates the popular Oktoberfest tradition which began in Munich, Germany, 200 years ago. Guests will enjoy authentic German beer from local brewery Franconia Brewing, wine and a wide range of German cuisine, just as you’d find in Munich. Kids’ activities include face painting, a petting zoo, and arts and crafts of all types. And don’t forget to don the lederhosen and put on your polka shoes to dance the night away to non-stop live music around the square. Don’t worry about the weather; the event goes on rain or shine!

When It Comes to Art…

McKinney offers plenty of opportunities as always to enjoy arts of all varieties in September. On Wednesday, Sept. 5, art historian Anne Royer gives her monthly Brown Bag Lunch Art History program at the Heard-Craig Carriage House. McKinney again invites art enthusiasts to the downtown square for Second Saturday on Sept. 8 for Meet-the-Artist receptions (7-10 p.m.) at the downtown galleries. For details about the featured artists, visit these websites: DowntownMcKinney.com, SecondSaturdayArt.com, and LauraMooreArt.com.

Music and More at MPAC

Elizabeth Leonard performs at Concert for a Cure

The McKinney Performing Arts Center stage will feature three straight nights of live music, starting Friday, Sept. 7 with Concert for the Cure featuring McKinney’s own Master’s degreed vocalist Elizabeth Leonard who’ll perform songs celebrating strength and courage from artists such as Aretha Franklin, Journey, Carrie Underwood, Maroon 5, Christina Aguilera, Adele and many more! Ticket sales benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I’m Not Ashamed Concert follows on Saturday, Sept. 8, with a fundraising concert for Eternity Community Church. The concert will feature a diverse atmosphere with people from different cultures, backgrounds, and denominations, singing (in English and Spanish), praise dancing and Christian comedy.

Rounding out the weekend of music is the 18-piece Texas Instruments Jazz Band in their summer concert, bringing its 26-year history of making music to McKinney.

The Four Funny Females bring laughs to MPAC

One Sept. 16, pianist Kathryn Woodard explores works by Debussy and Asian composers in MPAC’s Noble Hall.

MPAC’s Courtroom Theater again becomes a comedy club on Sept. 22 when Laura Bartlett and the Four Funny Females open their fifth season in McKinney with their night of eclectic comedy.

Elsewhere in McKinney…

The Guitar Sanctuary and Zin Zen Wine Bar will host two events in September, a TC Helicon Clinic on Sept. 18, and a Customer Showcase featuring Shane Frame on Sept. 20.

Drums Not Guns and the McKinney Arts Commission again bring the Soli Drum and Dance Festival to Old Settler’s Park & Rec Center on Sept. 21.

A raptor presentation at the Heard Museum amphitheater

All About Nature

The Heard Museum and Natural Wildlife Sanctuary celebrates its 45th anniversary this month on Sept. 30 with an afternoon of fun. Also planned this month is a Fall Night Hike on Sept. 28 and a Ropes Course Adventure Day on Sept. 23.

Both preschoolers and home school students can take part in science programs throughout the month. Check the Heard website for scheduling details.

Gardening, Animals & Circus Fun at Myers Park

Tours and classes hosted at the research gardens at Myers Park.

Gardener Training classes by AgriLife Extension Office in Collin County at Myers Park on September 4, 11 and 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Garden tours will also take place Sept. 5, 8, 19 and 22 from 9 a.m. to noon.Throughout the month, Myers Park hosts a Horse Health class, a Morgan Horse show and the Greater Collin Kennel Club for dog agility trials. Check their website for details.

Also at Myers Park in September, enjoy the family fun at Piccadilly Circus from Sept. 14-16. Tickets are available online; for more information, call 941-552-9952.

Other Activities in McKinney

Another fun activity to do with the family involves putting on the old walking shoes. On Saturday, Sept. 22, Dallas Trekkers organizes a walk through historic McKinney’s commercial and residential areas for the Historic McKinney 5k and 10K Walk.

And then there are the regular monthly and weekly events:

• Farmers Market at Chestnut Square on Saturdays and Adriatica on Thursdays
• Third Monday Trade Days & the Old Red Lumberyard the weekend before the third Monday of the month.
• Live music in McKinney’s dining and night life establishments. (Check Visit McKinney Texas app for details.)

Visit McKinney Texas: Where to find us!

Remember “everything McKinney” is always at your fingertips with our Smartphone app. Links for downloading it to iPhone, iPad and Android can be found HERE. And if you need to check out McKinney on your computer, you can find us at our website or on Facebook and Twitter. We’re even working on growing a Pinterest page! And if you’d rather pick up the phone, you can contact the McKinney Convention & Visitors Bureau at 214-544-1407 or tollfree at 888-649-8499.

And if you haven’t yet seen the coverage of Money Magazine naming McKinney its #2 Best Place to Live in America 2012, click HERE.

Unique By Nature? Yes, We Are!

On the nature trails at the Heard.

“What’s unique about it?”

That’s a question we frequently get at the McKinney Convention & Visitors Bureau. Those of who live here, know: it’s that “special something” that brought most of us here, the reason we chose to call it home.

McKinney’s 2012 Honor!

And Money Magazine obviously gets it, too, considering they just named our city the #2 Best Place to Live in America, up from #5 in 2010 and #14 in 2008. (They publish the list for cities our size every two years, and it is practically unheard of for a city to make three consecutive lists, much less move up in ranking each time.)

So what is unique about McKinney? That’ll take several blog entries to explain, so today, we’ll start with a word that is in that description – our nature (which was even incorporated in our logo in the way of a tree). Most cities have trees and nature; we know that. But McKinney’s nature is different.

A predator bird presentation at the Heard amphitheater

Over the years, those who have sculpted McKinney into what it is today have worked diligently to incorporate and preserve nature in as many ways as we can. In this blog entry, we talk about one of those special places where visitors and residents can enjoy nature to its fullest and most pristine.

The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary

The Heard, which will celebrate its 45^th  anniversary on Sept. 30, offers so many cool opportunities to enjoy nature, we are devoting an entire blog entry to it. (We’ll cover other McKinney nature in our next blog entry.)

Wetlands Eco-Adventures at the Heard

This museum was the vision of McKinney native Bessie Heard (1886-1988) who donated the land and started the museum back in 1967 when she was 80 years old. The beautiful 289-acre wildlife sanctuary on which the Heard Museum sits features more than six miles of natural walking and hiking trails, some more hilly than others as they wind through woodlands, prairies, and grasslands. More adventurous guests can even call ahead and schedule an Eco-Adventure (a canoe tour of the wetlands) or for groups of 10 or more, challenge themselves on the high and low elements of the ropes course in the Heard’s deciduous forest tree canopy.

Inside the Heard’s butterfly house

A nature museum displaying native wildlife and special exhibits also houses a store that kids and adults alike will enjoy exploring for books, maps, science tools, toys, T-shirts, and do-it-yourself kits of all kinds. Also on the property, guests will find a beautiful outdoor amphitheater where concerts, bird and wildlife lectures, and other events take place throughout the year. In the summer, the Heard’s Native Texas butterfly garden and butterfly house are filled with brilliantly-colored winged creatures and numerous species of flowers.

We recommend you peruse the Heard’s website to learn of all the educational programs and events they offer, including children’s camps, night hikes, birdwatching and tagging, snake feeding, the Animals of the World exhibit, as well as Spring, Halloween and Christmas events, and many more. And their science building and other facilities are available for church gatherings, meetings, weddings and other events.

Watch out for the spitting dino!

The pièce de résistance at the Heard, though, would have to be the Dinosaurs Live! event happening annually from fall into winter. (The animatronic dinosaurs will inhabit the sanctuary starting Oct. 2 this fall until Feb. 3, 2013.) Walk the nature trails to find them hiding along the paths, moving and making noise in natural settings. Their Halloween at the Heard event is especially thrilling for youngsters as they trick-or-treat along the nature trails at dusk, watch an outdoor movie and compete in a costume contest. But be careful – there is usually a water-spitting dino among them, always a favorite with the kids! Bring the camera to capture poses with the 46-foot T-Rex and his friends, who are all made right here in McKinney by Billings Productions.

The 46-foot tall T-Rex is a favorite among kids.

Whether you’re visiting us in McKinney, or that “special unique something” has caught you, too, and you’ve decided to call McKinney home, there is a little piece of nature for everyone.

More examples of how you can enjoy nature in our city will come in this blog entry’s sequel next week.

Visit McKinney Texas: Where to find us!

Remember “everything McKinney” is always at your fingertips with our Smartphone app. Links for downloading it to iPhone, iPad and Android can be found HERE. And if you need to check out McKinney on your computer, you can find us at our website or on Facebook and Twitter. We’re even working on growing a Pinterest page! And if you’d rather pick up the phone, you can contact the McKinney Convention & Visitors Bureau at 214-544-1407 or tollfree at 888-649-8499.