Gorges State Park to Host Third Annual Mountain Monarch Festival on Oct. 4

Strategic Insights -

Back by popular demand, the third Annual Mountain Monarch Festival will be held at Gorges State Park in Sapphire on Saturday, October 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free event, hosted by the park and sponsored by the Friends of Gorges State Park and other partners, will celebrate the monarch butterfly during its migration and raise awareness about the species' declining numbers. The park lies along the monarchs' migratory route, and the butterflies can be seen in early October each year flying over the park, heading south to the high-elevation fir forests in central-southern Mexico's Volcanic Belt, where they overwinter until early spring.

Key Takeaways:

  • The third Annual Mountain Monarch Festival will take place on October 4 at Gorges State Park in Sapphire, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • The event is free and open to the public, with activities including educational programs, exhibits, children's crafts, face painting, a butterfly hike, and a Monarch Migration Passport.
  • Featured speakers include Heyward Douglas, an entomologist, and Brian Bockhahn, interpretation and education specialist for North Carolina State Parks.
  • The event is sponsored by Friends of Gorges State Park and various partners, including the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Monarch Watch, N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, and local organizations.
  • The event will be held rain or shine and is first-come, first-served.
  • Educational programs and exhibits will focus on the monarch butterfly's life cycle, conservation efforts, and the importance of protecting its habitat.

Statistics:

  • The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 4.
  • The festival will be hosted by Gorges State Park in Sapphire.
  • More than 19 million visitors annually visit North Carolina's state parks, including Gorges State Park.
  • The monarch butterfly migration route passes through North Carolina, with the butterflies flying over Gorges State Park in early October.
  • The Monarch Watch program is a partnership between universities, conservation organizations, and government agencies to study and protect monarch butterflies.

Sources:

  • https://www.friendofgorges.org
  • About Friends of Gorges State Park
  • About the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation
  • About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources