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Eastern migratory monarch butterfly populations decreased by 59% in 2024
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Join us and discover ways you can help protect and restore Monarch populations.
About Monarch Fest
Monarch Fest is a FREE, family-friendly event celebrating the beauty and wonder of Monarch butterflies. Join us at the Paul Smith's College VIC (Visitor Interpretive Center) for a day filled with fun activities, including Monarch tagging and releases, family-friendly crafts, educational sessions, pollinator garden tours, delicious food, and more. Enjoy live music, storytelling and a festive atmosphere as we come together to support Monarchs and native moths and butterflies of in the Adirondacks. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with nature, learn, and have fun at Monarch Fest!
2024 Ongoing Events
TOUR THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE
11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Visit our local naturalists inside the Breck Chapin Memorial Native Species Butterfly House. Witness every stage of a Monarch's metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar, chrysalis to butterfly. Plus, check out other native moths and butterflies that live with us throughout the summer!
MONARCH TAGGING & RELEASES
Hourly from 11:45 am – 3:45 pm (weather permitting).
Watch as we tag each of our adult Monarchs and send them out into the world for an epic migration! Enter into our Butterfly House to explore the life cycle of Monarchs as well as other butterflies and moths. Then, at the end of every hour, we'll step out into our "Release Zone" as we bid a fond farewell to our summer friends!
POLLINATOR GARDEN TOURS
Hourly from 11:15 am – 3:00 pm
Tour our pollinator friendly gardens with our Garden Squad and learn how to cultivate native plant species to support our local eco-systems. Tours begin at the Gazebo at the top of each hour.
MEET MONA THE MONARCH
11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Mona will be joining us to lead our annual Butterfly Parade! Take a selfie with the queen mother Monarch who will be fluttering through Pollinator Field.
ARTS, CRAFTS, & SCIENCE
11:00am – 4:00 pm
Join us in Pollinator Field for a day of fun, learning and creative play! Check out our vendor tables for face painting, dress-up wings, puzzles, games and more!
ART GALLERY & THEATRE
11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Head inside our Art Gallery inside the Main Building to see our newest exhibit from Georgeanne Gaffney, Insects of the Adirondacks. While you're inside, visit our theatre to watch the 40-minute film, "Flight of the Butterflies"!
STORYBOOK WALK & SCAVENGER HUNT
11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Enjoy a Storybook Walk and Scavenger Hunt inspired by the book "October Is Having a Party" from our guest author Caitlin Friebel.
TASTY FOOD & BEVERAGES
11:00 am – 4:00 pm
We are firing up the grill to offer you burgers, hotdogs, cool beverages, and more! Grab a picnic table and join us in Pollinator Field for fabulous food & snacks.
2024 Event Schedule
(Most events will move indoors if it is raining.)
11 AM: Official Kick-Off & Welcome!
Mindy and Jenna Audlin are the co-conveners of this year's Monarch Fest. Jenna has been involved with the Butterfly House for 4 years as a volunteer and steward. She is the author of The Explore More Challenge for Kids and president of Green Storm (Climate Club) at Saranac Lake High School. Mindy is a long-time volunteer at the VIC, serving on the Garden Squad, at the Front Desk, and at various special events. Join us as we officially kick off our 2024 festival!
11:10 AM: Music with John Murphy
John is a local soul singer from Saranac Lake.
Enjoy his live music as you explore!
Garden Tour
Tour our Pollinator Gardens with our VIC Garden Squad!
Movie Viewing Party
Watch "Flight of the Butterflies" and learn more about the incredible migration journey of Monarch butterflies.
11:45 AM: Butterfly Tagging & Release
Weather permitting, we will host a Monarch tagging demonstration in the Butterfly House followed by a ceremonial butterfly release.
12:00 PM: Meet the Monarchs of the Adirondacks
Janet Mihuc, Professor of Biology at Paul Smith's College, offers this introduction to our local Monarch population. Learn about the life cycle of Monarchs and why our efforts to protect them are so important.
Garden Tour
Tour our Pollinator Gardens with our VIC Garden Squad!
Movie Viewing Party
Watch "Flight of the Butterflies" and learn more about the incredible migration journey of Monarch butterflies.
12:30 PM: Smokey's 80th Birthday Party
Join us as we celebrate Smokey Bear's 80th Birthday! We will welcome our very special guest and learn from a Park Ranger about fire safety in the wilderness. Be sure to stay for birthday cake and a special serenade from Cindy Watson!
12:45 PM: Butterfly Tagging & Release
Weather permitting, we will host a Monarch tagging demonstration in the Butterfly House followed by a ceremonial butterfly release.
1:00 PM: Storybook Reading of "October is Having a Party"
Author Caitlin Friebel is a wife, homeschool mama, creative, and fully self-taught fine artist, living with her husband and two girls, in the Adirondack Mountains of Northern NY. Caitlin is passionate about looking deeper into the nature around us and capturing its simple beauty in her artwork. Through her gorgeous watercolors and a playful story of Fall Festivities, Friebel showcases the wonder and magic of the changing seasons in her beautifully illustrated debut children's picture book 'October is Having a Party."
Garden Tour
Tour our Pollinator Gardens with our VIC Garden Squad!
Movie Viewing Party
Watch "Flight of the Butterflies" and learn more about the incredible migration journey of Monarch butterflies.
1:30 PM: Live Music with Cindy Watson
Your family will love Cindy's kid-friendly sing-along songs celebrating the joy and wonders of the natural world.
1:45 PM: Butterfly Tagging & Release
Weather permitting, we will host a Monarch tagging demonstration in the Butterfly House followed by a ceremonial butterfly release.
2:00 PM: How to Create a Monarch Way Station
Participate in our Panel Discussion on how to create a Way Station for Monarchs in your own backyard! Moderated by Mindy Audlin.
Garden Tour
Tour our Pollinator Gardens with our VIC Garden Squad!
Guided Scavenger Hunt
Check out the Storybook Walk for "October is Having a Party" with author and illustrator Caitlin Friebel. Caitlin will guide you through a special Scavenger Hunt as you move through the story.
Movie Viewing Party
Watch "Flight of the Butterflies" and learn more about the incredible migration journey of Monarch butterflies.
2:30 PM: Butterfly Parade!
Follow Mona the Monarch as she leads the Parade! Bring your butterfly wings (or make some while you're here!). Dogs, kids, and kids at heart are all invited to flutter with us!
2:45 PM: Butterfly Tagging & Release
Weather permitting, we will host a Monarch tagging demonstration in the Butterfly House followed by a ceremonial butterfly release.
3:00 PM: Community Science and the Future of Monarchs
Learn more about Monarch Watch, and how you can become a Citizen Scientist to have protect our Monarchs. This panel discussion led by Mindy Audlin includes Dan Jenkins, coordinator for a local Monarch Tagging group and Janet Mihuc, Biology Profession at Paul Smith's College.
Garden Tour
Tour our Pollinator Gardens with our VIC Garden Squad!
Movie Viewing Party
Watch "Flight of the Butterflies" and learn more about the incredible migration journey of Monarch butterflies.
3:30 PM: Butterfly Tagging & Release
Weather permitting, we will host a Monarch tagging demonstration in the Butterfly House followed by a ceremonial butterfly release.
3:45 PM: Raffle Drawing and Closing Ceremony
We will close out the afternoon with a drawing for our raffle items, all benefiting the Breck Chapin Memorial Native Species Butterfly House at the VIC. Raffle items include a hand sewn butterfly quilt, a gift basket from the gift shop, a $25 Gift Card to Bloom in Saranac Lake, and a family pass to The Wild Center!
LEARN HOW YOU CAN BE A PART OF THE RACE TO SAVE THE MONARCHS
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GET DIRECTIONS TO THE FESTIVAL
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CONTACT US FOR INFO ON HOSTING A TABLE OR PRESENTATION
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MAKE A DONATION TO SUPPORT FUTURE GENERATIONS OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES!
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DOWNLOAD THE 2024 FESTIVAL AGENDA
Celebrate with us as we release Monarch butterflies, guiding them on their remarkable migration to Mexico. Fun for the whole family!
MONARCH FEST 2024 SCHEDULE