Butterflies, bees and bugs, oh my! All will be in residence at KWEC’s annual Butterfly Festival from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 17. Most activities will take place outdoors, including tagging monarch butterflies, crafts and StoneLion Puppet Theater’s “Backyard Buggin’”.

Featuring large, colorful puppets, “Backyard Buggin’” takes audience members on a trip through the grass where insects rule. The stage “grows” to make audience members bug size and the bugs, human size. Puppet characters include a dragonfly, painted lady butterfly, tree frog, slug and more.

The show will take place on an outdoor stage, so bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy two performances at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. StoneLion Puppet Theater has been entertaining audiences for 29 years. The non-profit company includes an international touring company and arts education teaching staff. In-between the two performances, they will provide a puppet-making craft.

Dancing butterflies will take center stage in KWEC’s auditorium, with the Barton Dance Theater from Barton Community College, providing two performances at 10:15 and 11 a.m. Following the performances, dancers will conduct a short dance workshop for children, complete with costumes. The workshops will take place outside. There is a limit of 10 children (ages 5-10) per workshop and registration is required by calling KWEC at 1-877-243-9268. The registration deadline is Sept. 14.  

Nets and tags will be available for those who want to capture and tag monarch butterflies. Participants head out into the flower-filled fields and shelter belt around KWEC to hunt monarchs, with tagging leaders stationed along the trail to help with the tagging process. A total of 10 monarchs, tagged at last year’s tagging event, were recovered at three Mexico roost sites.

Weather permitting, a demonstration beehive will be on display in the insect zoo, in addition to giant walking stick insects, butterflies, caterpillars, chrysalises, fluorescing scorpions and more. Kids can make a butterfly banner at the craft station in the multi-purpose shelter, make and lob wildflower seed bombs, get a temporary butterfly tattoo and take part in games and other activities.

View the butterfly/pollinator garden for wildflower planting ideas to take home. Milkweed plants will be available free until they run out. When you need a break, stop by the refreshment table and have a cookie or two, and lemonade or iced tea.