![BURPEE---MONARCH-FEST---LOGO](https://burpee.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/BURPEE-MONARCH-FEST-LOGO.png)
Monarch Festival 2024
– October 12th –
10 AM – 4:30 PM
Welcome to the Monarch Festival, a special event day at Burpee dedicated to celebrating the fascinating world of insects! This family-friendly event will feature a wide variety of activities, exhibits, and hands-on learning centered around monarch butterflies and other incredible bugs.
Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect:
![Monarch](https://burpee.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Monarch-scaled.jpg)
Activities and Attractions
Educational Booths
- Insect Life Cycles: Learn about the life cycles of different insects, including butterflies, beetles, bees, and ants!
- Pollinators and their Importance: Discover the crucial role that pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths play in our ecosystem.
- Insect Conservation: Understand the challenges faced by various insect species and what we can do to help protect them.
Insect Habitats and Gardens
- Butterfly Gardens: Explore the areas around our museum specifically designed to attract and support butterflies and other pollinators. See if you can spot any!
- Insect Hotels: See examples of insect hotels that provide shelter for beneficial insects and learn how to create one at home.
Arts, Crafts, and Interactive Exhibits
- Bug Crafts: Create your own insect-themed art, including wings, masks, and antennae.
- Insect Creativity: Color and create your own unique butterfly, moth, beetle or other insect!
- Insect Petting Zoo: Get up close and personal with live insects, including beetles, butterflies, and cockroaches.
- Microscope Exploration: Examine insects under microscopes to see their incredible structures up close.
Cultural and Community Involvement
A key aspect of the Monarch Festival is promoting awareness and action towards insect conservation.The event will highlight the importance of insects and involve the local community through:
- Community Art Projects: Discover the new art created by Susan Burton and Kids Kamp attendees throughout Burpee celebrating creatures like butterflies and cicadas!
- Local Partnerships: With the help of the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County, the Nature Nook is a place to play and to learn containing native plants to support an ecosystem that supports wildlife in the heart of Rockford’s Downtown!
Join us for a day of fun, education, and celebration at the Monarch Festival, where we honor the incredible diversity and importance of the insect world!
![MF 1](https://burpee.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/MF-1-scaled.jpg)