Hundreds of children and adults swarmed the Pearl on Sunday for the second annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival, highlighted by a parade and butterfly release.
Children had the opportunity to ride the Pedaling Pollinators Butterfly bikes during the parade, while others donned colorful costumes or wings honoring the Monarch butterfly.
Sunday marked the culmination of the three-day festival aimed at promoting science, education, art, and celebration of the orange and black butterflies during their migration through Texas. The festival’s theme this year was “Butterflies without Borders,” and it included a symposium Friday with butterfly experts and scientists from Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Other activities throughout the weekend included a bug lunch at the Witte Museum, teacher workshops, an art exhibit, and more.
The festival took place during peak Monarch migration season in San Antonio, when the winged creatures funnel through Texas on their way to their roosting sites in Michoacán, Mexico.
In addition to food, music, and educational activities at the Pearl, attendees on Sunday had the chance to watch Monarch butterfly tagging demonstrations, which help create a database that keeps track of butterflies as they migrate south. The San Antonio Water System also offered seminars on starting pollinator gardens.
To learn more about the festival, visit the Texas Butterfly Ranch website.
