HUTTO –– Hundreds of visitors took advantage of warm weather and headed downtown Saturday, Feb. 15, for the World Hippo Day celebration hosted by The Hippo Foundation.
“Look around. We’ve got people petting goats. We’ve got bounce houses. The reptile guy is coming to do a show. And the city didn’t have to pay for it,” said Mayor Mike Snyder.
Snyder is a volunteer with The Hippo Foundation, a nonprofit he founded to bring people and resources together. This year, the foundation hosted the celebration.
The festival featured charitable organizations, local businesses, regional merchants, service agencies and live music and entertainment.
Downtown businesses were invited to participate, as well as outside vendors.
Hutto and the Hutto Independent School District decades ago adopted the venerable African mammal as a mascot.
Depending on which legend one accepts, townspeople are either commemorating the incident when a hippo reputedly escaped from a circus train or when a rival high school football squad commented on the size of local athletes.
Local artist Elizabeth Bonura, owner of Bonura Studios at 3333 CR 119, Suite 17, held a free class where participants created a small hippo out of foam clay.
During World Hippo Day, Spc. Seoyoung Park (left) and Sgt. Tyler Lemons from the Texas Army National Guard 136th Brigade let curious children and adults climb aboard a Humvee.
(LEFT) Amelia Z., 5, participates in a free jewelry-making activity at the ZSD Celebrations booth during a recent event celebrating the hippo, Hutto’s mascot.
(RIGHT) Frankie Oller (left), 5, and Zelda Jackson, 7, enjoyed hippothemed activities with their families at Hutto’s World Hippo Day.
(LEFT) Artist Elizabeth Bonura (center) shows off clay hippo figures to an interested fair attendee during World Hippo Day in Hutto, which celebrates the town’s mascot.
Photos by Edie Zuvanich She was happy her booth attracted many folks wanting to know more about clay art and hippos.
“It’s such a great celebration. Several people have asked me why the hippo is special to Hutto and I love telling them about the legend of the hippo,” Bonura said.
Ed Wrinkle, a member of the Richard A. Oman American Legion Post 302 in Hutto, said their organization came out to support The Hippo Foundation.
“The Hippo Foundation helps a lot of nonprofits and we’re one of them. We’re trying to get ourselves a permanent facility,” Wrinkle said. “We’re out here to meet the public, give away stuff, recruit new veterans as members and help The Hippo Foundation.”
This year’s World Hippo Day differed from previous celebrations because Feb. 15 fell on a Saturday, creating an opportunity for a larger event and more participants.
While The Hippo Foundation coordinated the event, the city recently passed a rule that future World Hippo Day celebrations, among other holidays, will be hosted by the city though other organizations may be allowed to participate.
