NITE@ Luminaria 2026: Moth Art & Education

Where Art, Nature, and NITE LIFE Come Together!
Join NITE (Nocturnal Insect Tracking & Education) at the 2026 Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival in downtown San Antonio for an evening of art, moths, and discovery!
NITE is collaborating with local artists Ashley Perez (San Antonio River Foundation – SARF) and Maria Jessica Brown to present "Eclipse" , an immersive artwork inspired by migration, seasonal change, and the instinctive pull toward home. The installation invites visitors to explore the connections between nature’s cycles and our own experiences of memory, movement, and belonging.
Step Into the Glow
A garden arched trellis covered in fabric with painted black-and-white moth imagery will create a glowing gathering space where art and ecology meet.
At the heart of the installation is an illuminated “mothing” sheet. Naturalists use this field observation method to attract moths and other nocturnal insects with ultraviolet light. As insects visit throughout the evening, they become a living, ever-changing part of the artwork.
Imagery featuring insects native to the San Antonio region will highlight species that migrate, pollinate, emerge seasonally, or return to particular habitats throughout their lives.
Discover the NITE LIFE!
Stop by to:

Observe living art: Discover the patterns, shapes, and adaptations of moths and other nocturnal insects that visit the illuminated sheet.
Meet nighttime pollinators: Learn how moths support native plants, biodiversity, and healthy ecosystems.
Connect art and nature: Explore themes of attraction, migration, memory, and belonging through the installation.
Explore community science: Learn how photography and iNaturalist help document nocturnal biodiversity.
Talk with artists and naturalists: Enjoy informal conversations with the creative team and NITE volunteers.

Alamo Area Texas Master Naturalist and Technical Partner Peter Joseph Hernandez and fellow NITE / SARF volunteers will share their experience with live insect observation, offering opportunities for visitors of all ages to learn about South Texas insects and their ecological importance.
The insects we encounter will depend on weather and natural activity—part of the discovery is seeing who shows up!
About Luminaria 2026
Luminaria is a FREE outdoor nighttime contemporary arts festival featuring live music, digital art, film, poetry, theater, dance, sculpture, and creative installations. Come enjoy the festival and discover the beauty of the nighttime world.
📅 Event Details
Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM–Midnight
Location: Houston Street, Downtown West & Zona Cultural, San Antonio
(Our event will be in front of 111 W. Houston Street or in front of UT San Antonio Institute of Texan Cultures)

Admission: FREE and open to the public
Specific NITE exhibit location in front of 111 W. Houston Street or in front of UT San Antonio Institute of Texan Culture
Whether you’re an artist, nature enthusiast, photographer, Master Naturalist, or simply curious, join us to celebrate the connections between art, moths, and biodiversity.
The butterflies may get the daylight spotlight, but at Luminaria, the moths are stealing the show after dark!
NITE LIFE | Nocturnal Insect Tracking & Education
An Alamo Area Texas Master Naturalist-supported community science and educational outreach project.