Adventure Awaits this Month at Memorial Park

It's finally here! The BIG day, the opening of the Kinder Land Bridge & Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Prairie, is just days away and we can't wait to celebrate with each and every park-loving Houstonian. This newest addition to Memorial Park means so many exciting things for visitors! New areas to explore, fun community programing, actual hills to climb, and a perfect view of the Houston skyline are just a few of the things that will make this the most popular new spot in town. Keep reading to learn more about the activities you can enjoy at our Biggest Picnic in Texas Grand Opening, including The Great Prairie Adventure where you can explore the native Gulf Coast prairie while earning stamps and fun prizes.

As if the grand opening of the Kinder Land Bridge & Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Prairie isn't enough, the excitement keeps coming in February with our Day of Giving on Valentine's Day and the return of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ Trail Riders. There is so much adventure to be had this month in Memorial Park!

Stay up-to-date with Memorial Park Conservancy! Visit our website and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram where you'll find frequent updates about trail status, fun wildlife sightings, and what's blooming around the Park.

Kinder Land Bridge &

Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Prairie

Grand Opening Celebration

Memorial Park Conservancy, along with partners the City of Houston, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Kinder Foundation and Uptown Houston, invite Houstonians for a FREE event celebrating the official grand opening of Memorial Park’s transformational Kinder Land Bridge & Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Prairie project. The Biggest Picnic in Texas, presented by Kinder Foundation and Tellepsen, welcomes the community to experience this new 100-acre space at this family-friendly extravaganza!

Saturday, February 11

10am - 5pm

Event Highlights include:

• Picnic festivities, food, and drinks
• Family-friendly entertainment: live music, face painting, and more
• The Great Prairie Adventure: Become a prairie explorer and collect stamps in your very own passport booklet to earn special prizes 
• Self-guided tours of the Land Bridge & Prairie project
• H-E-B sponsored picnic basket filled with local goodies – free while supplies last
• Additional food and beverage from an array of food trucks available for purchase onsite or “BYOP” (Bring Your Own Picnic) – no glass bottles, please!

Come and learn about the largest urban prairie restoration in Texas and the critical importance that prairies play in the Gulf Coast’s cultural and ecological history!

This is event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

*The Ten-Year Plan enables Memorial Park Conservancy to accelerate design and construction of significant components of the Memorial Park Master Plan and was made possible by a $70M catalyst gift from Kinder Foundation, which leveraged public funding through the Uptown Development Authority, and by the generosity of other donors. Execution of the Ten-Year Plan is overseen by the Memorial Park Standards Committee, a partnership comprised of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Memorial Park Conservancy, Kinder Foundation, and Uptown Development Authority.

Show Your Heart for the Park!

In 2013, Annise Parker, then Mayor of Houston, proclaimed February 14 as Memorial Park Day. To celebrate this monumental occasion, we are calling all Park lovers to come together to support Memorial Park Conservancy Day of Giving. 

Let’s rally together for 24 hours to raise $25,000 for the Memorial Park Conservancy Fund. Your donation will ensure our lawns and trees healthy, native plants and flowers bloom, wildlife habitats thrive, and all Houstonians have a place for recreation, rest, and renewal. It will protect all the wild places you love.

To add to the excitement and importance of the day, the Ray C. Fish Foundation has graciously offered a dollar for dollar match up to $25,000 for contributions made on Day of Giving. This means your gift makes a double impact on the Park we all love so much!

All gifts of $25 or more will receive a commemorative "I Love Memorial Park Conservancy" sticker to thank you for showing your love for Memorial Park. 

Let’s come together to show how great a difference we can make for our beloved Memorial Park. It is not too early to show your heart for the Park. Make your gift count today. 

Thanks for Making Glow in the Glades a Wild Night!

Over 300 people supported Memorial Park Conservancy last month for Urban Wild’s annual Glow in the Glades! Hosted in the iconic Clay Family Eastern Glades, attendees enjoyed a vibrant, après-ski evening with delicious food, drinks, and live entertainment.

Reverend Butter whipped his chainsaw around and carved a stunning ice sculpture of a heron. Guests danced the night away under the stars at the dueling Silent Disco, rocking out in their coziest winter wear. It was a wonderful event celebrating Memorial Park and the work of the Conservancy!  

Learn more about Urban Wild Today!

We Love Our Volunteers!



We are always astonished by the dedication of Memorial Park Conservancy's volunteers. But, in 2022, they absolutely blew us away! Nearly 2000 individual volunteers gave more than 5300 total hours in support of the Park. In those 5300 hours volunteers planted 4400 seeds, reintroduced 5106 native plants back into the Park and mulched 217 cubic yards of earth.

Volunteers are an integral part of what we do at Memorial Park Conservancy and we are grateful for commitment to keeping the Park beautiful.

Whether it's corporate groups, scouts, students, or individuals, we have something for everyone. Spots are filling up fast, so click the button to learn how to get involved.

Two Unique Ways to Support Your Park!

Looking for new ways to support Memorial Park? Through our partnership with FreeWill, a secure online giving platform, you can make a lasting impact to ensure the enjoyment of Memorial Park for all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.

Legacy Giving allows you to make a gift in your estate plan to secure the future of our conservation efforts. With FreeWill’s simple, self-guided resource, you can make a plan for your future that protects your loved ones and your Park year after year.

IRA-giving is another unique way to support the immediate needs of the Park. If you are 70.5 or older, you’re eligible to donate directly from your IRA account to support your Park today and reduce your future tax burden!

Houston Rodeo Trail Riders February 23 - 25

The Houston Rodeo Trail Riders will be galloping through Memorial Park on their route to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™.

The Trail Riders will be arriving and camping through the weekend. Expect traffic delays on Memorial Drive and limited Park access.

During this time, Picnic Loop, the Commuter Trail, the Running Trails Center building and lot, the Living Bridge, and W. Memorial Loop Drive will be closed to accommodate the Trail Riders.

Park areas will reopen to the general public in the afternoon on Sunday, February 26.

Bayou City Arts Fesival - March 24 - 26

The Bayou City Art Festival will return to Memorial Park on March 24 - 26 as the festival celebrates its 50th year of providing support for local nonprofit programs, and promoting expanded access to art education throughout the entire Houston community. 

The Park Ball - April 13

Please join us on Thursday, April 13 in Memorial Park to celebrate the transformation of our city’s most treasured greenspace.

Money raised through this event will be dedicated to the Conservancy’s day-to-day operation of the Park and will make a true and immediate impact. The proceeds will help keep the Park beautiful and accessible to all Houstonians and healthy for wildlife.