The Kansas Wetlands Education Center’s (KWEC) 11th annual Butterfly Festival will take place on Saturday, September 28, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Attendees can capture and tag monarchs using provided nets and tags, with tagging leaders assisting along the trail. Monarchs tagged at previous festivals have been recovered at three roost sites in Mexico.

This year, StoneLion Puppet Theatre will present “Bubba & Trixie,” a story about a timid caterpillar and a brave ladybug. Larned-based Kellie Honey Farm will showcase a demonstration hive to highlight the importance of honeybees. The festival also features an invertebrate zoo with giant walking stick insects, butterflies, caterpillars, chrysalises, and fluorescing scorpions. Kids can enjoy crafting activities, such as making a crawling caterpillar or a butterfly mobile.

Grassland Groupies will offer a Bumblebutt Petting Station for safe, sting-free interaction with bumblebees. Visitors can explore the new Melody Marsh in the KWEC Pollinator Garden, paint a mural celebrating monarch butterflies, and free milkweed plants and wildflower seeds will be available while supplies last.