Western Kentucky Botanical Garden will host its second annual Monarch Day on Saturday, offering free admission for a day filled with activities aimed at celebrating and protecting the iconic butterfly species.
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and feature educational talks, garden tours, children’s crafts, face painting, caricature drawings, and food trucks. Presentations will cover topics such as the importance of native plants, ways to attract pollinators, and the role of milkweed in monarch survival.
“This is a free day, which is the big thing we want to emphasize,” said Diane Bowers, financial manager for the garden and a master gardener who heads the event. “We have lots of activities for all ages. We’ll be pointing out milkweed, chrysalis, and other butterflies during guided walks.”
The idea for Monarch Day came from local master gardeners Bonnie Nance and Glenda Burke, who approached the Garden last year with the concept.
The inaugural event drew more than 700 visitors, and Bowers said they hope to surpass that number this year.
Part of the day’s lineup will include three performances — at 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m. — of a children’s play by the Bluegrass Community Theatre, based on a butterfly-themed book by Garden board member Marcia Carpenter and illustrated by Nance.
Bowers said the event supports the garden’s mission to increase awareness of pollinator conservation.
“The number of monarchs has hugely decreased over the last decade,” she said. “We want people to understand how important it is to plant the right plants and avoid practices that harm beneficial insects.”
Sponsors for the event include OMU, Boardwalk Pipelines, and Holland General Contracting, whose support allows the garden to offer free admission.
