Butterflies will be celebrated as a symbol of nature’s beauty by the Watershed Institute.
For 19 years, Watershed Institute officials have organized the annual Butterfly Festival as a cross between education and fun.
“This really is the biggest public event we do for the year. Depending on the weather we have had several thousand people attend this event,” said Jim Waltman, executive director of The Watershed Institute. “It is our biggest educational event and is a big day for us.”
The festival will take place at the Watershed Institute in Pennington on Aug. 3 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., according to officials.
“We have a butterfly house here on the reserve and that butterfly house was a memorial to a girl named Kate Gorrie who passed away in a tragic car accident. We wanted to celebrate the butterfly with this festival,” he said. “Butterflies are such a symbol of the beauty and fertility of nature. The event was centered around the butterfly house but now it has become more than that.”
Officials explained that during the event, visitors will be able to view and learn about local butterflies, witness an oak tree stilt walker, enjoy a train ride, animal show, an insect zoo, solar music, and arts and crafts.
“The festival will have something for everybody. If you have really young children there are programs oriented towards them, if you are a younger or older couple there are learning stations at the event,” Waltman said. “We have a lot of stuff inside the building as well.”
He said there is a big station in the Watershed Institute’s laboratory called the Insect Zoo and there will also be an area where people can get close to fish and other life from the streams around in the area.
“We will be having a big station as well talking about what people can do at home, a business or school to protect the environment,” Waltman said.
He also said that the festival is not just a street fair where people are preforming or selling things.
“This is an educational and fun experience. This has been a magic combination for us. We think that is what get people coming in here year in and out,” Waltman said I’d like to add that I think everyone loves butterflies, so you can’t go wrong.”
There will be an Eyes of the Wild exotic animal show, a Butterfly and Bug parade, and a family walk with a Watershed naturalist during the event as well, according to officials.
“I hope people take home at least one thing that they have learned to be a better steward of the environment and I hope they really have a fun day. There is definitely a lot of fun to be had here,” Waltman explained. “What we try to do here is combine fun and learning.”
For more information about the Butterfly Festival, visit www.thewatershed.org.