It’s going to be a very different Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta this year due to COVID-19, planners have decided to offer a virtual fiesta as a precaution for the health and safety of our community.
“The main goal of the event that was held 15 years in a row at Franklin Mountains State Park, has been to encourage people to connect with and appreciate the Chihuahuan Desert,” fiesta officials share. “This year’s 16th annual fiesta on Saturday, September 19th will be no different.”
The fiesta will be offering a variety of virtual educational experiences highlighting the flora and fauna of the Chihuahuan Desert, the largest and least known desert region in North America.
Presentations this year will include a virtual tour of the Zoo’s new Chihuahuan Desert Exhibit, two different opportunities to learn more about current efforts to save critically endangered Mexican wolves including an effort to return the wolf to Texas, presentations with live animals from the Chihuahuan Desert living at the El Paso Zoo and a special presentation by Pam Agullo, Mrs. Texas Earth, on the impact of people on the environment and wildlife.
“The Chihuahuan Desert is considered a hotspot for conservation and the epicenter of cacti diversity with 318 species of 1500 species worldwide,” officials added.
The Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition (CDEC) was founded in 2004 at the El Paso Zoo in collaboration with El Paso Water. CDEC is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization serving as a resource on information about the Chihuahuan Desert and encouraging lifelong learning about the Chihuahuan Desert.
As part of that mission, the board of directors and members collaborate with educators and the public.
For full information on the fiesta and the schedule, visit chihuahuandesert.org.
