10th Annual Family-friendly Monarch Festival Returns Saturday, September 8
Posted on 23 August, 2018
Join butterfly, music and art lovers from all over the Twin Cities on Saturday, September 8, from 10 am to 4 pm for the free 10th Annual 2018 Minneapolis Monarch Festival-Festival de la Monarca. Filled with music, art activities, games, food, plants that monarchs love and more, the day offers many fun ways for people of all ages to learn about the monarch butterfly and its amazing 2,300 mile migration from Minnesota to the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico.
The Minnesota/Mexico connection is highlighted with music and dance on an all-day stage featuring Chinelos San Pablo Apostol, Miss Myra and Moonshiners, Ballet Folklorico Mexico Azteca, Salsa Del Soul, and the Aztec dance troupe Kalpulli Ketzal Coatlicue (“Precious Mother Earth”).
A variety of hands-on Art Activities include Art in the Park with Mia, print making with Sarah Nassif, make a caterpillar puppet, help paint giant monarch wings, make a paper monarch, and much more! Two puppet shows by In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre: The Way of the Monarch (English & ASL, Spanish & ASL), and two puppet show by Dawn Pape: Mason Meets a Mason Bee (English & ASL).
Children ages 0–12 are encouraged to dress up in monarch-themed costumes and join the costume parade led by Chicks on Sticks. Line-up is at 10:50am and the parade starts at 11am.
The University of Minnesota Monarch Lab is bringing monarch butterflies for an up close and personal learning experience. Adult butterflies with small identification tags affixed to their wings will be released throughout the day at the Education Tent. The Wild Ones, the Mexican Consulate, US Forest Service and other organizations working on habitat conservation will be on hand to talk about actions everyone can take to help monarchs and the migration that means so much to people here and in Mexico, where the monarch has been an important part of culture going back hundreds of years to the time of the Aztecs.
The festival takes place at beautiful Lake Nokomis in south Minneapolis, near the Nokomis Naturescape — four acres of gardens containing plants native to Minnesota, providing food for monarch adults and caterpillars, as well as bees, birds and other butterflies. Gardens like these are key to restoring the population of migrating monarchs, which is at an all-time low. You can create similar monarch habitat at home by purchasing native plants from Festival vendors that will have a variety of milkweeds to serve as host plants for caterpillars, as well as nectar plants for adult monarchs, including asters, blazing stars, goldenrods, and much more.
A variety of Minnesotan and Latin food will be available for sale from Taco Taxi, Habanero Tacos, La Loma Tamales, Naturally Delicious Ice Cream, Twin Cities Paella, Assase Ya, 9Yum Yum ice cream treats, Tacqueria Victor, La Guadalupana, Phil’s Mini Donuts, and Finer Meats & Treats.
The Festival is presented by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, and the Nokomis East Neighborhood Association, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota’s Monarch Lab. The Festival also receives support from the US Forest Service, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, and the Minnesota State Arts Board through the Clean Water Land & Legacy Agustmendment.
ASL interpreters at the main stage and puppet shows. Roving ASL interpreters available upon request at the Info Booth. Bring a refillable water bottle – MPLS Tap will be there! Please carpool or ride your bike to the Festival.
To find out more about the stage lineup, activities, schedule for the day, the Nokomis Naturescape and more, visit the Minneapolis Monarch Festival-Festival de la Monarca™ website at www.monarchfestival.org.
The Festival also offers many opportunities for a rewarding volunteer experience. For information about volunteering please call 612 313-7781 or volunteer4monarchs@gmail.com
Minneapolis Monarch Festival-Festival de la Monarca™
Saturday, September 8, 2018
10 am – 4 pm, just east of the Lake Nokomis Community Center
Lake Nokomis, Minneapolis (East 49th Street and Woodlawn Blvd.)
** More Festival photos available upon request.
Festival Contact
MaryLynn Pulscher
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
mpulscher@minneapolisparks.org
3800 Bryant Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-313-7784
Media Contact
Robin Smothers
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
rsmothers@minneapolisparks.org
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN