Day: April 2, 2019

Pet Education Project headquartered in San Antonio

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Pet Education Project offers free humane education to San Antonio Schools. Courtesy photo, used with permission. 

Pet Education Project (PEP!) has chosen San Antonio as a new home, offering free humane education to San Antonio schools. The programs are innovative, entertaining and make it easy to educate children on important topics such as spaying and neutering, pet adoption and animal safety. Studies also show that teaching compassion and preventing animal abuse prevents human violence. (Pet Education Project, 2019)

“We are beyond thrilled to launch our humane education initiatives in San Antonio. Teaching kindness, empathy and responsibility will not only better the community, but will pave the way for a brighter future for families and their pets. San Antonio is an incredibly vibrant city and we cannot imagine a better place to bring our colorful programming and build our headquarters.” – Erica Falbaum, founder of Pet Education Project (PEP!).

PEP! Is a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to teaching kids empathy and compassion toward animals and core responsibilities of pet ownership, which in turn reduces euthanasia in animal shelters. Pet Education Project (PEP!) Pet Education Project is a humane education organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters by educating children ages preschool through 6th grade. Our inspirational and positive programs focus on teaching kids compassion toward animals and empowering them with pet ownership responsibility skills. PEP! has educated over 1 million kids worldwide and has been featured on national TV such as the Hallmark Channel and in People Magazine.

32nd annual Old Settler’s Music Festival

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The Old Settler’s Music Festival takes place April 11 through April 14. Courtesy photo: used with permission. 

The Old Settler’s Music Festival will take place Thursday April 11 through Sunday April 14 in Tilmon, TX, conveniently located less than an hour from Austin and San Antonio and approximately two hours from Houston. More than a music festival with a stellar lineup of established and up-and-comers in roots, Americana, and folk, Old Settler’s Music Festival is a completely unique experience built by a community of regular campers returning every year, an army of volunteers who put the festival on and newcomers who discover the vibe for the first time. The festival is an authentic celebration of the food, art, and heritage that constitute Texan culture in the setting of world-class live music entertainment. Ticket information, including details on VIP gold and platinum packages, is available online. (Old Settler’s Music Festival, 2019)

Old Settler’s Music Festival will once again feature a diverse representation of Texas’s culinary roots, including staples like Lockhart’s Black’s Barbecue and Austin’s Torchy’s Tacos and popular food trucks like Llano’s Oh My Pizza Pie and San Marcos’s Buddy’s Crepes. Vendors include: The Original Black’s Barbecue, Four Brothers’ Venezuelan Kitchen, Tamale Addiction and more.

Old Settler’s Music Festival welcomes artisans from around the region to showcase their works, including jewelry, clothing and a variety of crafts. As a festival open to fans of all ages, Old Settler’s will again have a petting zoo and pony rides by Down on the Farm and Joyful Bubbles will make human and car size bubbles, much to the delight of the festival’s younger attendees.

Headliners Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will perform their intimate acoustic set at 8:30p.m. on Friday, April 12 and Saturday’s headliner Brandi Carlile will take the stage the following night at 8:30p.m. Full schedule of performers is available online.

The festival has announced the finalists in its Old Settler’s Music Festival’s Youth Competition, presented by the Center for Texas Music History. The Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University works to document, preserve and celebrate the rich musical heritage of the Southwest through courses, publications, and events. The following finalists will compete on Saturday, April 13 at the festival, when a winner and two runners-up will be chosen:

• Claire Ashton, 13 (Austin, TX)
• Cristina Bolen, 17 (Lockhart, TX)
• Elijah Delgado, 16 (Austin, TX)
• Riley Edwards and Julia Blackmon, 17 and 16 (Austin, TX)
• Ethan Hanson, 18 (New Braunfels, TX)
• Mathias Lattin, 16 (Houston, TX)
• Madi Meeks, 17 (Austin, TX)
• Giri and Uma Peters, 14 and 11 (Nashville, TN)
• Jade Vondrew, 17 (Buda, TX)
• Kendale Walker, 12 (Cypress, TX)