NAVARRE — The 10th Annual Monarch Madness Butterfly Festival is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 7-8 at 8581 Navarre Parkway. Admission is free.
The Panhandle Butterfly House, with the Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Office’s help, will present the event, which is part of the 13th Annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour.
Attendees can stroll through the vivarium, a screened structure housing hundreds of butterflies and plants. Children can learn about the life and biology of the butterfly while earning their Junior Lepidopterist card. In addition, children, ages 5 and up, and adults can tag and release a monarch butterfly outdoors as part of the annual Monarch Watch.
"The tagging program is a part of a nationwide research program that helps answer questions about the geographic origins of monarchs that reach Mexico, the timing and pace of the migration, mortality during migration, and changes in geographic distribution" said Mary Derrick, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Santa Rosa County agent.
Other features include:
- Butterfly-related educational crafts
- Guided tours of the butterfly house and self-guided monarch migration tours through outdoor butterfly garden
- Butterfly-themed treasures for sale at the Monarch Market and Butterfly Bazaar
- Dynamic educational displays
- Advice on lawns, landscapes and gardens from the Santa Rosa County Master Gardeners
- Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, snacks and soft drinks for sale by Holley-Navarre Elks Lodge 2787; proceeds benefit local charities.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 10th Annual Monarch Madness Butterfly Festival scheduled