Rowland Water District (RWD) hosted its inaugural Discover Rowland Fest on May 10 at the District’s headquarters, offering local residents engaging educational and interactive activities focused on sustainable water use.
More than 200 people attended the free event, including many families with children from throughout the RWD community. Guests learned how each District department supports water conservation through designated booths, live demonstrations, and landscape workshops.
“Our first Discover Rowland Fest was a tremendous success,” said RWD Marketing & Social Media Coordinator Brittnie Gildea. “It gave families a fun, memorable way to connect with the District and gain a better understanding of how their water system operates.”
The event featured a wide range of family-friendly experiences, including the chance to sit in and explore the District’s backhoes and dump trucks during the Touch-a-Truck exhibit and get hands-on with a mini excavator in a controlled environment.
The Wyland Foundation’s Mobile Learning Center was available for guests to explore throughout the event. The Foundation’s museum on wheels featured a variety of water conservation programming, including a 40-person multi-sensory theater presentation and seven unique learning stations.
Rounding out the event’s educational offerings, the Green Gardens Group (G3) held two landscape workshops for guests who registered prior to the event. The first workshop focused on best practices for removing turf and replacing it with a budget-friendly, water-wise landscape, while the second debunked myths about common landscaping misconceptions, including what plants actually need to thrive and the differences between irrigation methods.
“Discover Rowland Fest is part of our ongoing commitment to build a stronger partnership with the people we serve through education, engagement, and collaboration,” added RWD General Manager Tom Coleman.
Building on the success of this event, RWD plans to make it an annual tradition for the community, with the next Discover Rowland Fest planned for May 16, 2026.
