Exploring the Ozarks Outdoors: freshare.net

4th Annual Butterfly Festival

By Friends of the Garden

First posted on 07-19-2012

Join us for the fourth annual Friends of the Garden Butterfly Festival! July 21, 2012 9am-6pm The Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center and Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park | 2400 S. Scenic Avenue | Springfield, MO

Summer is butterfly season in the gardens! Discover live butterflies in the Dr. Bill Roston Native Butterfly House and learn from local butterfly experts. Tour the gardens and shop for plants, garden accents, and more from local vendors. Catch a special chance to purchase plants right from our own lily and iris gardens! Local conservation organizations will be on hand with information and activities. Bring the kids for crafts, games, story time, face painting, and the Caterpillar Petting Zoo! Earn your butterfly antennae at the event or come dressed as a butterfly or caterpillar to enter our children’s costume contest. For a full schedule of activities, music, and more see below!

Admission

Butterfly Festival admission and all activities are free of charge. The Butterfly House and Butterfly Festival are sponsored by Friends of the Garden, a not-for-profit volunteer organization. Donations are appreciated.

Parking

Parking is located in several areas in the park. From the entrance on Scenic Avenue, follow signs and guides for festival parking. Shuttle service to the Botanical Center and Butterfly House area will be available. Accessible parking is located in the lot adjacent to the Botanical Center.

Also in the Park

The Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Gardens are open 9:00am-7:30pm. Free admission for Friends of the Garden members. The Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center is open 8:00am-8:00pm.

The Dr. Bill Roston Native Butterfly House

Get an up-close look at native butterflies and moths as eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises, and adults with our expert guides.

In the Gardens

Explore the gardens and find inspiration in the Butterfly Garden. Don’t miss the Butterfly Release at 10:30 am, just south of the Butterfly House. Visit the Daylily and Iris Gardens for a unique opportunity to buy plants right from the gardens!

Festival Activities

Visit the Caterpillar Petting Zoo, enjoy storytime, games, and crafts for kids, bounce your way through a giant caterpillar and more! Come ready to shop for plants, home and garden accents, jewelry, art and more from local vendors, and cool off with a snow cone. Visit the Botanical Center to view the entries and winners of the Butterfly Quilt Block Contest and the Nature in the Park Photo Competition.

Silent Auction 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

BENEFITTING A NEW BUTTERFLY NURSERY GARDEN

Artwork, Jewelry, Garden Accents, Plants, Butterfly Quilts, Restaurant & Spa Gift Certificates, Salon Services, Massages, Concert Tickets, & More!

Costume Contest 12:00 pm

Sponsored by Children’s Orchard & Young Painting/Tangico

Flap or wriggle to the festival in your butterfly or caterpillar costume! Contest held in the Botanical Center, with the Pollintor Parade to follow. Ages 15 and under. Special thanks to prize contributors Andy’s Frozen Custard, The Butterfly Palace and Rainforest Adventure, Children’s Orchard, Jumpin’ Joey’s, & Noah’s Art.

Butterfly Festival Event Schedule

9:30am Nature in the Park Photo Competition Awards, Sponsored by the Southwest Missouri Camera Club. Botanical Center atrium, entries and winners will remain on display all day

10:00am-12:00pm (New this year!) SILENT AUCTION with proceeds benefitting a new Butterfly Host Plant Garden

10:30am Butterfly Release, south of Butterfly House

11:00am Butterfly Photography Workshop, meet at the SWMCC booth just west of the Butterfly House

11:30am Butterfly Gardening Workshop, Botanical Center Workshop room

12:00pm Butterfly and Caterpillar Costume Contest, Botanical Center East Meeting Room. Pollinator Parade to follow

12:30pm Butterfly Photography Workshop, meet at the SWMCC booth just west of the Butterfly House

2:00pm Butterfly Photography Workshop, meet at the SWMCC booth just west of the Butterfly House

2:30pm Butterfly Gardening Workshop, Botanical Center Workshop room

3:15pm Butterfly Photography Workshop, meet at the SWMCC booth just west of the Butterfly House

Music Schedule

All performances are on the Roof Garden Plaza

9:00-9:50 am Tara Kizer, MSU Concert Master, Violin/Fiddle

10:00-10:50 am Sagegrass Revival, Bluegrassmusic of the Ozarks

11:00 am Allison Steiner Violin Studio, Violinists

12:00-12:50 am Aasha, Pop & Dance music

1:00-1:30 pm Motion Playlist Studio, an integration of Music & Dance

1:30-2:00 Austin Handley, Acoustic Guitar

2:00-2:25 pm Cindy Tucker, Contemporary Christian/Country Singer/Songwriter

2:25-2:50 pm Linda Stewart, Contemporary Christian Singer/Songwriter

3:00-4:50 pm Branson Shows, Various Performers

5:00-5:50pm Luna Jamboree, Alternative

6:15pm Bert Smith and The Walk, a blend of Christian, Gospel, Blues, & Rock.

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