Schedule of Events | Cambio de horario
10:00 am & 1:30 pm – African-American Storyteller Rosalyn Carr, Native American Dancer Dennis Rogers & Hispanic Art and Culture with the Tonantzin Society | Narradora Africa-Americana Rosalyn Carr, Danzante Nativo-Americano Dennis Rogers y cultura hispana con La sociedad de Tonantzin

6:00 pm – Ballet Folklorico de Topeka, Phase Altered, Standing Bear Intertribal Brotherhood, Srividya Dasaraju/Middle Eastern Dancing, and Girasol, a local Mariachi Band | Ballet Folklorico de Topeka, Hermandad entre tribus “Standing Bear” (Oso parado), Srividya Dasaraju/Bailarinas Arabes y alegre Banda de Mariachi Girasol

This year El Dia is highlighting multiple cultures, including Mexican, Indian and Filipino, with performances and an assortment of booths, activities and crafts. There’s a free book to every family in attendance, while supplies last, along with a couple of door prizes to be awarded at the end of the program.

Someday, while on your long awaited trip to Mexico, you will want to take your English/Spanish dictionary. Make sure to learn several basic words such as help (ayudar), water (agua), and bathroom (bano) beforehand. Spanish is the most widely spoken language in Mexico, although the Mexican government does recognize 62 other indigenous languages. While preparing for your ”someday” trip to Mexico, come to the library to experience traditional Mexican folk dance and music through Girasol, a local Mariachi band and the dance group Ballet Folklorico de Topeka.

Maybe you’re dreaming of a trip to the Republic of the Philippines (customarily referred to as the Philippines). The Philippines is a chain of islands in the western Pacific Ocean.  The official languages are Filipino (sometimes called Tagalog) and English. If a trip to one of the thousands of miles of the Philippines beautiful coastlines isn’t in the budget, you can get a taste of one of the most popular and well-known of traditional Philippine dances, Tinikling. Tinikling involves two people tapping and sliding bamboo poles on the ground in coordination with dancers who step over and in between the poles in a dance. This performance is sure to draw a crowd.

Have you always been fascinated by the Taj Mahal, Hindi Cinema (commonly known as Bollywood), and the Hindu faith? India’s rich culture is quite the draw for travelers.  Being the second most populated country in the world, India has much to offer, including it’s traditional folk dance, which you can experience firsthand when you come to the public library on April 30 for El Dia de los Ninos!

Día was founded in 1996 by author Pat Mora to link children to books, languages and culture. Día means “day” in Spanish and is a family literacy initiative celebrated every year. It’s an opportunity for communities across the country to practice “DIA = Diversity in Action.” Learn more about this multicultural celebration here.  Hope to see you here April 30th!

The Azalea Trail has been an annual tradition for more than 50 years in Tyler.  It is home to 8 miles of marked trails through residential gardens and historic home sites, with garden after garden of azaleas, dogwood trees and spring flowers that you have to see to believe.

You may either walk or drive as you follow the signs for the two trails “Dobbs” or “Lindsey”. Both trails start at the intersections of South Broadway and Houston Streets. These trails soon split and meander through beautiful old residential neighborhoods. Certain homes along the trails are attended by young ladies attired in Antebellum Period clothing.  The Trails have become a huge success and as of 2004 attract over 100,000 people each year.

The residents along the trails are very proud of their neighborhood history and the homeowners make this event the success it is.  They spend countless hours making sure their yards are absolutely gorgeous, and they love to share it with visitors.

Some residents even open up their yards and invite visitors to stop and walk through their gardens.  On one block, three houses merge their back yards to make one giant garden. The residents have put up a sign that says, “You are welcome to walk through our backyard.” They mean it too.

Since the peak blooming time is a bit unpredictable, the dates differ some each year, but for 2013 the Azalea Trail takes place from March 15th – April 7th.  This is a great time to visit Tyler.

In addition to the Azalea Trail, the Municipal Rose Garden is beautiful this time of the year.  There is the Main Street Flower Market at the Goodman-LeGrand Museum where you can purchase various plants and gather gardening tips or landscaping ideas for your own garden.  After you are done with the market, take a tour of the Goodman-LeGrand House and Museum which dates back to the 1860′s.  Later that evening you can go on a candlelight historic tour of Tyler that will take you back through the Azalea District at night.  You can enter a photo contest for best photo taken while on the Azalea Trail, or run in the Azalea 10k benefit run.

For a small town, Tyler has a lot to offer, but the Azalea Trail is one of my personal favorites and definitely worth the trip.  If you are interested in visiting Tyler, TX and seeing the Azalea Trail for yourself, these two websites will be very helpful.   Click here for the official Tyler Azalea Trail website and click here for the Tyler, Texas Chamber of Commerce website.

For those of us who prefer to travel through books, or want to perfect our own gardens, the library has these books to offer help in those departments.  And of course, check out our books about traveling to Texas.