More than 300,000 people have come through the gates since Texas Wildlife Expo started 10 years ago, and since those early years the free festival has evolved in new directions while remaining true to its outdoor roots.

The two-day extravaganza marks its 10th anniversary Oct. 6-7 in Austin, celebrating a decade of hands-on family fun and entertainment while promoting conservation of natural and cultural resources.

"Texas Wildlife Expo is the premiere natural and cultural resource event in Texas," said Ernie Gammage, Expo director for Texas Parks and Wildlife. "Where else can you catch a fish, shoot targets, mountain bike, bird watch, kayak, see native Texas wildlife and rock climb in one location in one day -- for free?"

Begun as a one-day tribute to hunting and the role of hunters in conservation, Expo has expanded to include fly fishing, backpacking, kayaking, bird watching, rock climbing and much more. All events are free and open to the public so families can try new outdoor activities together.

In 1992, the first Expo attracted 7,000 visitors to the 35-acre TPW headquarters adjacent to McKinney Falls State Park in Austin. Last year, a crowd of more than 46,000 participated over the weekend, coming from all parts of the state. This year, close to 50,000 visitors are expected at the 10th anniversary Expo set for Oct. 6-7. Visitor exit surveys show that about 20 percent of the visitors each year come from outside Central Texas, including thousands from Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. More than 85 percent of the visitors come from within a 100-mile radius including the Interstate 35 corridor between San Antonio and Waco.

Hunting awareness and shooting sports remain a popular part of the Expo experience. Shooting participation has grown from 4,360 10 years ago to 17,634 last year. Of last year's participants, almost half rated it as their overall favorite activity. In the last 10 years, 105,712 visitors, many of them first-timers, have gone through an Expo shooting safety course to try archery, air rifle or shotgun target shooting.

Fishing was added to the Expo lineup in 1993 with more than 40,000 children participating since then. Last year, 5,000 kids angled for catfish and trout, almost double the 3,000 in the first year. Thousands of children caught their first fish at Expo.

In 1994 rock climbing was added and ushered in a new set of outdoor adventure sports that further expanded Expo. Participation in rock climbing has grown from about 700 climbers the first year to more than 3,000 last year. Almost 6 percent of all Expo visitors rated climbing as their favorite activity last year, including 90 percent of those who actually climbed a wall.

Also in the mid-1990s, living history was introduced at Expo, starting with the popular Buffalo Soldiers program, in which re-enactors portray black soldiers that helped tame the Texas frontier in the 1800s. Before long, the Admiral Nimitz Museum (now the National Museum of the Pacific War) was giving children rides in a World War II truck, and Native American teepees sprouted on a small patch of native prairie near the entrance. This year, dozens of state park employees and volunteers in period costume will set up a living history section where the past comes alive.

Other activities include John Karger's birds of prey demonstration and displays to promote the importance of water for Texas ecosystems, wildscaping instruction, a new Global Positioning System Satellite Challenge and the Outdoor Kid's Challenge. For the Outdoor Kids Challenge, young visitors will participate in at least one activity from several categories. Children who complete the activities can enter a drawing to win a hunting, fishing or family camping trip.

Expo continues to evolve and change, but the basic goals stay the same: provide the public with a free, interactive, family-oriented experience with emphasis on having fun in the outdoors.

"The event really is designed for the entire family," said Gammage. "Nearly all the activities are open to both adults and children, and we have many activities specifically for younger children."

Texas Wildlife Expo takes place on the 35-acre Texas Parks and Wildlife headquarters grounds in southeast Austin from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 6-7, with free parking and free admission for all activities. Check the Expo Web site (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/expo/) for details, or call (800) 792-1112.