For more than a decade, Special Projects Manager Mary Woods has been the beating heart behind some of Boerne’s most beloved events and traditions.
She is a liaison between the City of Boerne and the retailers that dot the scenic Hill Country Mile that runs through downtown, and she has played a significant role in highlighting arts and culture in our community.
One such project is Art al Fresco, which brought in temporary public art installations around Boerne and allowed residents to vote on which sculptures to keep permanently.
“One thing I love about art is regardless of whether you like it, it creates conversation and people will talk about it and express what they think about it,” Woods said. “I think that is a big part of why programs like Art al Fresco are important.”
Mary’s biggest annual project has been the Dickens On Main celebration held each Thanksgiving weekend. Last year alone the two-day event drew nearly 50,000 people to downtown Boerne.
The event, inspired by Victorian England, invites revelers to mingle with characters dressed in Dickens-era costumes while enjoying festive Christmas markets, live entertainment, and specialty food items. Of course, the forecast always call for Texas “snow” to fall over the historic downtown.
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While visitors see the whimsical decorations and bright lights, many don’t know just how much work goes into making it all possible. For Mary, that’s just fine.
“Well, then we’ve done our jobs well, because you’re supposed to come and enjoy it with your family and your friends,” Woods said. “You don’t need to know everything that goes on behind the scenes. We’ve always had great people to do that with us.”
A job well done, though, means months of planning and coordinating with vendors, retailers, businesses, other departments, and many more. The work really starts to ramp up as far as four months out, with many night and weekend hours put in to ensure guests experience the magic of the holidays in Boerne.
The small touches are what can really set an event like Dickens apart from the rest. Mary always makes sure to carry a printed schedule with her during the event to help attendees, often just giving it away for them to keep.
“Being out there with the crowds and seeing how much they’re enjoying it brings me a lot of joy,” Woods said.
Mary joined the City of Boerne 11 years ago and has spent most of that time managing projects, leaning on decades of previous experience in human resources with other organizations.
“I love living in Boerne! I have great neighbors, friends, and coworkers,” Woods said. “As much as I love the culture and history of my original hometown, San Antonio, I greatly appreciate the culture and smaller size of Boerne. In fact, on my Mother’s side of the family, I’m descended from mostly ranchers with a German heritage.”
She has called Boerne home for the last 31 years along with her husband Larry Woods, who also works for the City as the director of Visit Boerne.
