Annual Butterfly Festival draws thousands of visitors

About 2,000 people visited The Watershed Institute on Aug. 5 for the 23rd Annual Butterfly Festival.

People were able to go on tours of the Kate Gorrie Butterfly House, which features native butterflies including the endangered monarch butterfly and black swallowtail, New Jersey’s state butterfly.

Girl watches butterfly.
Photo courtesy of Seth Siditsky/The Watershed Institute
Photo courtesy of Seth Siditsky/The Watershed Institute

In addition to learning about the life cycle of these important pollinators, people were able to visit the insect zoo and learn about other native insects including beetles, mantises, and katydids, according to The Watershed Institute.

23rd annual Butterfly Festival at The Watershed Institute.
Photo courtesy of Seth Siditsky/The Watershed Institute

The Watershed’s science team had exhibits about harmful algal blooms, how to be River-Friendly and visitors even had a chance to hold a fish.

There were performances by Sprout U School of the Arts in Trenton and animal shows by Eyes of the Wild Exotic Animal Rescue and Cedar Ridge Wildlife Refuge.

Photo courtesy of Seth Siditsky/The Watershed Institute
Photo courtesy of Seth Siditsky/The Watershed Institute

For more information about The Watershed Institute and other events, visit www.thewatershed.org.