Head to Wimberley, just 90 minutes southwest of Georgetown, for “absolutely the most eclectic experience you will ever have.” That’s how co-founder Rebecca Stoian describes EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens — home to an array of activities like a musical garden made of metal car parts, an indoor theater and outdoor amphitheater, life-size checkers and chess board, sculptures, nature trails, and two annual beloved community events — the Butterfly Festival and Trail of Lights.
EMILY ANN’S LEGACY
Emily Ann Rolling’s life revolved around four things — theater, faith, family, and her horse, Sir Hasselmeier. A student at Wimberley High School, she enjoyed participating in the school’s theater program, both on stage and behind the scenes making costumes. In 1996, the costumes she made for the three gods in the theater’s production of The Good Woman of Setzvan won the Texas Educational Theatre Association Designfest Costuming Award. When she wasn’t spending countless hours at school rehearsing or making costumes, Emily loved riding her horse and training him for dressage competitions in the Dallas and Austin areas.
A few days before Christmas in 1996, 16-year-old Emily and her best friend, Maria Kasper, were driving back to Wimberley from San Marcos when they had a front-end collision with another vehicle. Emily and the other driver were killed instantly, and Maria suffered severe injuries. During Emily’s funeral, the church was packed with more than 500 family members, friends, schoolmates, and supporters.
After her daughter’s death, Ann said, “I want to wake up the world. I want people to realize that you don’t have forever, and to live every day like it’s your last.”
Rebecca, Emily’s sister, says they could have easily honored Emily’s memory by giving out a scholarship in her name, “but we wanted to do something bigger.” Originally, their main goal was to use the five acres given to them by Wimberley High School to provide an outdoor home for the theater program Emily was involved in, Shakespeare Under the Stars. Then, during a visit to Emily’s grave, Ann noticed a boy placing a butterfly on the burial site. She thought about how butterflies symbolize reincarnation and transformation, and thus the Butterfly Festival was born, an event that began with 50 visitors and has since become a beloved community event that draws nearly 6,000 people each year. Not content to stop there, the Rolling family added the EmilyAnn Trail of Lights, which dazzles the Hill Country each December.
Today, EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens also features sculptures, gardens and nature trails, a greenhouse, sensory and musical gardens, children’s and veterans memorial plazas, and recreational activities including corn hole, ping pong, a life-size chess and checkerboard, and a new addition this year – pickleball and tennis courts. Eagle Scouts have made their marks on the site with projects like a flag retirement area, Little Free Library, and viewscope and observatory that provides a beautiful view of the entire Wimberley Valley.
Watching EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens come to life and honor Emily’s memory has been gratifying for her family. “Emily, like every 16-year-old is, is special. You lose them and go, ‘What do I do next?’ [Creating EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens] does not heal the pain, it doesn’t make it better. But it meant that her life, and more importantly her death, has purpose,” Rebecca says. “To me it’s about the ripple effect — how far we’ve reached and the lives we’ve touched. The ripple effect of this place is amazing.”
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
Visitors are invited to explore the grounds, open year round from dawn to dusk, and enjoy the variety of interactive activities and shows or simply stroll through the gardens and nature trails. Admission is free but donations are greatly appreciated to support the ongoing work of EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens.
As you plan your visit, be sure to check out these exciting upcoming events:
Into the Woods, June 1-2 and 7-9: Enjoy this musical that follows the story of a baker and his wife who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King’s Festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give him milk. When the baker and his wife learn they cannot have a child because of a witch’s curse, they set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone’s wishes are granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results. $20 per person, EmilyAnn’s Burdine Johnson Indoor Studio Theatre.
EmilyAnn Trail of Lights, November 30 – December 26: Visitors can enjoy a walking trail through 8 acres of lighted exhibits as well as live entertainment with complimentary hot chocolate. Santa Claus flies in most nights from the North Pole and will be in his house to greet everyone. The EmilyAnn Trail of Lights is free to attend but donations are encouraged as the event is the organization’s largest fundraiser.
Butterfly Festival, April 12, 2025: The 25th annual Butterfly Festival will kick off with a memorial butterfly release followed by butterfly releases every 30 minutes, a butterfly flight house, animal meet and greets, and interactive activities and games. Free admission with donations appreciated.
1101 FM 2325, Wimberley • emilyann.org