Hundreds Attend Successful 4th Annual Earth x Space Celebration
By Samuel García Jr., Ph.D. | The Mercedes Enterprise
Hundreds of community members from across the Rio Grande Valley gathered in Mercedes for the 4th Annual Earth x Space Celebration on August 1st, an event dedicated to science, astronomy, STEM, environmental education, and discovery.
Hosted by Samuel and Steven Garcia, in partnership with the City of Mercedes and the South Texas Astronomical Society, the free celebration brought together organizations from across the region for an afternoon of hands-on learning and exploration. Attendees engaged with interactive exhibits, educational demonstrations, activities, and opportunities to learn more about our planet, the night sky, conservation, technology, and STEM careers.
“Putting an event like this together requires a tremendous amount of work and coordination, but we believe deeply in our mission to bring the community together and inspire our youth to dare mighty things,” said Dr. Samuel García Jr., co-founder of the Earth x Space Celebration. “We are incredibly grateful for all the people and organizations who believe in this mission and helped make this celebration possible. It truly takes a community coming together to create these opportunities for our young people.”
Organizers extend their heartfelt appreciation to exhibitors including UTRGV South Texas Space Science Institute, RGV Science Association, UTRGV (CSTEM), TSTC Challenger Learning Center, Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M McAllen, TAMUK Recruitment, Estero Llano Grande State Park, Resaca de la Palma State Park, Fragile Planet Wildlife Park, Friends of Laguna Atascosa NWR, Janet Schofield, Pharr Recycling Center, Texas A&M Forest Service, South Texas Ecotourism Center, Region One Education Service, Arroyo Colorado Watershed program, East Foundation, Binless, Mayor Joe V. Sanchez Public Library, Creative BITS, and all participating organizations.
Special thanks goes to our generous sponsors, including Leadership Empowerment Group, Mr. Adrian Gonzalez, Garcia Insurance Group, Letty Garcia, Texas National Bank, Marissa Wallace, and the Texas Space Grant Consortium, whose support helped make this community event possible. Appreciation also goes to H-E-B, Moran’s Pizzeria, Sonic Crush, and Velvet J Photobooth, along with our volunteers and supporters.
The García Bros. extends its deepest gratitude to every individual, organization, sponsor, volunteer, exhibitor, and family who helped make this year’s celebration possible. Their support demonstrates what can happen when a community comes together around a shared purpose. We are already looking forward to an even bigger Earth x Space Celebration next year!
