The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will present its ninth annual Butterfly Festival on Saturday, September 28, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the UT Arboretum Auditorium and surrounding grounds, 901 S. Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.
Activities include the UT Insect Zoo, two butterfly tents, educational speakers and children’s activities.
The UT Arboretum will be closed for parking to regular visitors on the day of the Butterfly Festival, Saturday, September 28, until 3 p.m. The regular parking lot is closed, and all parking areas will be dedicated to the Butterfly Festival. This change is being implemented for the safety of Butterfly Festival visitors and staff.
Important information on parking this year: Parking will be in designated areas of the UT Arboretum adjacent to the event and on a first come, first served basis. The entrance fee is $5 cash (to facilitate entry) per carload. The gate will be open at 9:30 a.m. The event will take place rain or shine.
We have accessible parking available on a first come, first served basis. Please have your placard clearly visible when you enter the Arboretum for the Butterfly Festival to assist our parking staff in directing you. A shuttle service will also be available from the regular parking areas for those needing assistance.
Children’s craft activities will be available at a cost of a $1 ticket per activity or $10 for all 10 crafts. Payments can be made with cash or credit card.
Children of all ages will enjoy experiencing the UT Insect Zoo, a travelling exhibit of insects. The goal of the Insect Zoo is to have fun while sharing knowledge of insects with others to help them appreciate the important role of insects in our environment.
The Insect Zoo 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 from the University of Tennessee Entomology and Plant Pathology department, will be open for a closer look at butterflies.
Educational presentations will take place inside the air-conditioned auditorium. Lucas Coe-Starr will speak at 10 a.m. on Fall Bird Migration in East Tennessee. Stephen Lyn Bales will speak at 10:50 a.m. on The Mystery of Monarchs.
A free pollinator plant will be provided by a local native plant nursery, Tennessee Naturescapes, for each family as long as the supply lasts. Additional pollinator plants will be available for purchase.
Food trucks include Big Bad Taco, Pelican’s SnoBalls and Rocky Top Hot Dogs. The public is invited to bring refillable water bottles. For your entertainment, sit a spell and enjoy the beautiful music of the Knoxville Area Dulcimer Club!
The festival will feature a number of local artisans, all offering pollinator-themed merchandise. The Anderson County Master Gardeners will have a booth staffed with volunteers who can answer your gardening questions.
Thanks to all our sponsors at all levels: Monarch and Migrating Monarch level sponsors include: Bob & Janet Cushman; Premier Building Maintenance Corporation; Rogers Group Inc.; and Tennessee Naturescapes LLC.
For more information on the Butterfly Festival, contact Michelle Campanis at her email.
Co-sponsored by the UT Forest Resources Research and Education Center, this educational event is designed for children and adults of all ages.
To learn more about the Arboretum Society or for questions on this program, go to website.
Melanie Staten is a public relations consultant with her husband, Vince.
