GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History invites visitors to celebrate wings, wildlife and biodiversity during its 13th annual ButterflyFest on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ButterflyFest includes a variety of free, fun-for-all-ages activities, including native butterfly releases, a pollinator parade, photography and gardening workshops and a children’s area. Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses will attend for the first time this year to promote the Florida State Parks junior ranger program.

“ButterflyFest is a celebration of biodiversity,” said Catherine Carey, Florida Museum public programs coordinator. “This annual festival celebrates backyard wildlife with an emphasis on pollinators. We want to spread awareness on how to help conserve and preserve Florida butterflies.”

In addition to festival activities, the museum will hold a large three-day plant sale Oct. 12-14 featuring more than 150 different species of rare and butterfly-friendly plants. Plant sale hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

This year’s theme is “Ecosystem Services,” which focuses on how butterflies and other pollinators provide services that are of huge financial value to people.

Jaret Daniels, director of the museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, will present workshops on butterflies and butterfly gardening, and the children’s area includes six interactive “Migration Stations” where kids can learn about the journey of Monarch butterflies.

There will be a variety of local food and merchandise vendors at the festival. Merchandise being sold includes honey, jewelry, handmade soaps, accessories and art prints.

Photographers interested in capturing the beauty of biodiversity may participate in the “Picture Perfect Photography Workshop” on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. These fee-based workshops give photographers the opportunity to capture images in the museum’s “Butterfly Rainforest” using tripods and other equipment not normally permitted in the exhibit. Participants must be 18 years or older and pre-registration by Oct. 12 is required. The cost is $35, or $30 for museum members.

“Everyone can take home something different because everyone comes for different things,” Carey said. “I hope what everyone takes home is that people are a part of the natural world and our choices shape it.”

Participating educational groups at this year’s ButterflyFest include the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department, Alachua County Master Gardeners, City of Gainesville Greenway Challenge project, Lubee Bat Conservancy and St. John’s River Water Management District. The Southern Lepidopterists’ Society and the UF department of entomology and nematology will display live insects.

The festival events and activities are free, but regular admission fees apply to enter the “Butterfly Rainforest” exhibit: $14 for adults ($12 Florida residents and seniors) and $7 for ages 3-7. Admission is free for museum members and UF students with a valid Gator 1 card.

Free parking is available in the UF Cultural Plaza parking lot and garage. Visitors may purchase admission, plants and other items from the museum gift shops with cash or debit/credit cards, but are encouraged to bring cash. The museum does not have an ATM on-site, and some vendors may not accept credit or debit cards.

For more information, including a list of food and merchandise vendors, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/butterflyfest or call 352-273-2064.

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Writer: Kelly Hayes, 352-273-2032, PRintern@flmnh.ufl.edu
Source: Catherine Carey, 352-273-2064, ccarey@flmnh.ufl.edu
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu