Monarch Festival

Saturday, September 7, 2013 - 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Lake Nokomis Naturescape Gardens
The Nokomis Naturescape Gardens are located on the northeast shore of Lake Nokomis at the intersection of Woodlawn Blvd., East 50th St. and East Lake Nokomis Parkway.

The fifth annual Monarch Festival celebrates the monarch butterfly's amazing migration from Minnesota to Mexico. Using art, music, dance, games, native plants, prairie tours and food, the festival also raises awareness of the need to provide and protect monarch habitat. Festival participants can look for monarch eggs and get an up-close look at live monarch caterpillars and butterflies. Approximately 400 butterflies raised by the University of Minnesota's Monarch Lab will start their amazing 2,300 mile migration from Minnesota to the mountains of Michoacán Mexico where they will spend the winter.

The Festival takes place alongside the Nokomis Naturescape, comprised of a variety of native grass and wildflower gardens which have been certified as a Monarch Waystation. The gardens contain annual and perennial plants that provide habitat and food sources that are essential to the survival of monarch butterflies.

The festival stage will be ASL interpreted throughout the day while the monarch tag and release tent will be ASL interpreted from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Visit www.monarchfestival.org for the full line-up of up Monarch Festival music, food, events, activities, the Kids Butterfly Fun Run, and native plant sale information. Español

Monarch Festival Sponsors and Partners

The Monarch Festival is produced by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), Nokomis East Neighborhood Association and Community Celebration of Place.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is a fiscal year 2012 recipient of a Festival Support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Festival partners include Monarchs in the Classroom, and the Mexican Consulate. Thank you to Univision and UCare for supporting the Youth Butterfly Fun Run.

More Information

For questions or to volunteer, contact MaryLynn Pulscher at 612-313-7784 mpulscher@minneapolisparks.org, or Rita Ulrich, 612-724-5652 rulrich@nokomiseast.org.