The Environmental Journal of Southern Appalachia
Thursday, 29 August 2024 11:43

Flutter over for educational fun at the annual UT Arboretum Butterfly Festival

Butterfly Festival Flyer 2024 1583x2048

OAK RIDGE — More than 2,500 people are expected to attend the ninth annual Butterfly Festival hosted by the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society and the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center. Gates will open at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at the UT Arboretum, 

The festivities will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT. Plenty of activities will provide educational opportunities for the public to learn how we can all protect butterflies and other pollinators.

Kevin Hoyt, director of the UT Forest Resources Center and Arboretum, invites everyone to come for a fun day of educational activities. “This family-oriented event will feature butterfly tents and the UT Insect Zoo as well as children’s crafts, artisans and other vendors and food trucks.” Hoyt said butterfly releases are no longer part of the event and that guests are asked to leave pets and butterfly nets at home. 

A free pollinator plant will be provided by Tennessee Naturescapes for each family as long as the supply lasts and additional pollinator plants will be available for purchase. Food vendors and craft vendors will be on site to add to the fun and entertainment!

Educational presentations will take place inside the air-conditioned auditorium. Lucas Coe-Starr will speak at 10 a.m. on “Fall Bird Migration in East Tennessee.”  Hellbender Press contributor Stephen Lyn Bales will speak at 10:50 a.m. on “The Mystery of Monarchs.”

The UT Arboretum will be closed for parking to regular visitors on the day of the Butterfly Festival until 3 p.m. The regular parking lot is closed, and all parking areas will be dedicated to the Butterfly Festival. This change is being implemented for the safety of Butterfly Festival visitors and staff. The entrance fee is $5 in cash (to facilitate entry) per carload. All other expenses can be made with cash or credit card. Children’s craft activities will be available at a cost of $1 per ticket per activity, or $10 for all ten crafts. The event will take place rain or shine.

Access more information about the research and programs of the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center.

Last modified on Sunday, 29 September 2024 21:32