Butterfly Festival is coming to Arboretum in Oak Ridge!

The Oak Ridger
·2 min read

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will present its 8th annual Butterfly Festival from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 9 at the UT Arboretum Auditorium and surrounding grounds, 901 S. Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The butterfly species released in previous festivals was the painted lady, Vanessa carduii. Because of preliminary studies and ecological concerns, the decision has been made to join with the Smithsonian Institute, the North American Butterfly Association, the Audubon Society and the Xerces Society not to promote a release this year.
The butterfly species released in previous festivals was the painted lady, Vanessa carduii. Because of preliminary studies and ecological concerns, the decision has been made to join with the Smithsonian Institute, the North American Butterfly Association, the Audubon Society and the Xerces Society not to promote a release this year.

There will be no butterfly release this year as in previous years, an arboretum news release said. But there will be many ways to learn about protecting the pollinators, including the UT Insect Zoo, two butterfly tents, educational speakers and children’s activities.

Gate opens at 9:30 a.m. Parking is in designated areas of the UT Arboretum adjacent to the event and on a first come first served basis. The entrance fee is $5 in cash (to facilitate entry) per carload. All other expenses can be made with cash or credit card.

The event will take place rain or shine. Children’s craft activities will be available at a cost of a $1 ticket per activity or $10 for all 10 crafts.

Children of all ages will enjoy experiencing the UT Insect Zoo, which highlights preserved and live insects and arachnids (scorpion, tarantula, etc.) found in Tennessee and throughout the world. Two butterfly viewing tents, staffed by graduate students at the University of Tennessee Entomology and Plant Pathology department, will be open for a closer look at butterflies and insects.

A free pollinator plant will be provided by Tennessee Naturescapes for each family as long as the supply lasts, and additional pollinator plants will be available for purchase. Food vendors and craft vendors will be on site.

Professor Laura Russo will speak at 10 a.m. on “Wild and Native Pollinators in Your Backyard.” Stephen Lyn Bales will start his presentation at 10:50 with a talk titled, “All Weeds Are Not Weeds. Just Ask a Butterfly!” Both presentations will be inside the air-conditioned Auditorium.

Food trucks include CJs Tacos, Pelican’s SnoBalls, and Rocky Top Hot Dogs. The public is invited to bring refillable water bottles.

The festival will feature a number of local artisans, all offering butterfly-themed merchandise. The Anderson County Master Gardeners will also have a booth staffed with volunteers who can answer your gardening questions.

Designed for all ages, the event is co-sponsored by the UT Forest Resources Research and Education Center.

For more information, contact Michelle Campanis, mcampani@utk.edu.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Butterfly Festival at UT Arboretum Oak Ridge Tennessee