Celebrate the beauty of the Texas Hill Country by taking a drive on the wild side, experiencing the natural beauty along the Hill Country Wildflower Trail. Start and end your wildflower journey in Johnson City — the crossroads to the Texas Hill Country — at the Wildflower Days 2010, celebrating art, wine and wildflowers April 16-17 on the Blanco County Courthouse square, in City Park, and throughout town. The annual festival will feature a juried art competition, live music, wine tasting, craft and master gardener demonstrations, vendor booths, and much more.

The annual Wildflower Days festival kicks off on Friday, April 16 with an Artists Reception from 6-9pm in the downtown gallery that displays the juried artists work. Participants will be able to meet the artists and enjoy wine, an appetizer buffet and live music. Tickets are $10 and reservations are required. For ticket information contact the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce at 830-868-7684. Proceeds will benefit the 2011 Wildflower Art Competition.

Johnson City is home to many artists with a variety of talents, from painting to sculpture, and glass blowing to pyrography. There are also a host of art galleries and studios in Johnson City and throughout the Hill Country. Check the Chamber of Commerce website for a list of galleries and local artists.

On Saturday, April 17 the festival will feature Hill Country wildflower tours and a full array of activities featuring art, wine and live music from 10am to 9pm. There is no charge to enter the festival. Wildflower tour maps are available at the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce festival booth as well as at the Chamber office, located in the historic Withers & Spauldings General Merchants building at the traffic light on the corner of Highway 290 (Main Street) and Nugent Street. Pick up all the latest information on the season’s wildflowers as well as a map of the Hill Country Wildflower Trail.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there are more than 5,000 species of wildflowers in Texas, and while spring is one of the best times to enjoy wildflower beauty, there are flowers that bloom almost year round. TxDOT nurtures and cares for more than 800,000 acres of right of way that are filled with wildflowers throughout the year. For the latest wildflower information call the TxDOT Wildflower Hotline at 800-452-9292.

For more information on the Johnson City Wildflower Days celebrating art, wine and wildflowers, visit the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce Web site at www.johnsoncity-tx.com or call the Chamber at 830-868-7684.