McFaddin-Ward House Hosts 3rd Annual SOAR Celebration This March
Beaumont, TX; Feb. 12, 2025 – This March, the McFaddin-Ward House will present the 3rd Annual SOAR Celebration, a month-long vibrant display of butterflies throughout the outdoor gardens that will feature several special events beginning with the admission-free SOAR Family Day on Sunday, March 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the museum’s grounds (1906 McFaddin Ave., Beaumont).
SOAR Family Day will include family activities, live music performances by “Fire & Rain” and “Crossroads Band,” food trucks, picnicking on the grounds, garden and butterfly related crafts, local artist Butterfly Garden display, butterfly ride-on bikes, the Houston Museum of Natural Science Bug Cart, booths from All Saints Episcopal School, Beaumont Botanical Gardens, Beaumont Public Library System, Big Thicket National Preserve, Magnolia Garden Club, Moore Honey, Sabine-Neches Texas Master Naturalists and Tyrrell Park Nature Center, and more. Adding to the festive springtime spirit, a colorful outdoor installation of soaring butterflies will be on display throughout the grounds all month long.
“Engagement with our community is at the core of the museum’s mission. SOAR provides a delightful platform to welcome visitors to the historic site to enjoy a day filled with colorful visuals, interesting activities, delicious foods and fantastic music,” said McFaddin-Ward House Director of Public Programming Bel Morian. “The event continues to grow and support the vision of the McFaddin-Ward House which is to inspire an appreciation for history, the arts, education and civic involvement.”
SOAR Family Day will also kick off the museum’s new “Mac the Caterpillar” community art project. Artists of all ages are invited to paint a garden rock and add it to “Mac the Caterpillar,” which will “grow” along the sidewalk in front of the museum’s Visitor Center at 1906 Calder Ave. in Beaumont. Rocks will be available at the museum, or participants may provide their own. “Mac” will be on display until March 30.
“Our ‘Mac the Caterpillar’ project is a fun opportunity for the community to create something beautiful together and to get involved in the SOAR Celebration beyond Family Day,” Morian said.
Other new SOAR offerings during March will be SOAR Saturdays, which feature live piano music played on the McFaddin-Ward House baby grand piano during admission-free tours of the historic home on Mar. 8, 15, 22 and 29, and SOAR Ceramics porcelain painting classes held in the museum Visitor Center on Mar. 8, 15 or 22 from 9-11 a.m. SOAR Ceramics participants will be provided all materials to paint a small butterfly dish. Cost per participant is $25. Registration is required at 409-832-2134. Reservation deadline is Feb. 17.
“SOAR Ceramics will explore the delightful lost art of porcelain painting, which was a cherished pastime once enjoyed by Ida and Mamie McFaddin,” Morian said. “Our Collection includes a 110-piece dinner service painted by Ida painted in 1912 and a pastel Art Nouveau tea set painted by Mamie circa 1907.”
The month-long celebration will also include an admission-free “Music at the McFaddins’” event featuring “The Stringbenders,” a Houston-based group performing a mix of country, rock-n-roll and Zydeco-style music, on Friday, Mar. 28. Gates open at 6 p.m. with music beginning at 6:30 p.m. on the McFaddin-Ward House lawn (1906 McFaddin Ave., Beaumont). Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and refreshments for a great evening of live entertainment.
In case of inclement weather, SOAR Family Day and “Music at the McFaddins’” will be cancelled. For more information, call 409-832-2134 or visit mcfaddin-ward.org.
Built in 1905-1906 in the distinctive Beaux-Arts Colonial style, the McFaddin-Ward House reflects the lifestyle of the prominent family which lived in the house for 75 years. The museum features free tours, educational programming, year-round events, a carriage house, and gardens.
