Butterflies in the Pass Monarch Festival and Pass Christian Public Library

 Join us for Butterflies in the Pass Monarch Festival on Saturday, September 30th from 10am-1pm in War Memorial Park in Pass Christian.  The festival will be located near the gazebo and the Billy Bourdin Butterfly Garden and Monarch Way Station inside War Memorial Park.  This event will feature speakers,  educational exhibits, hands on activities for all ages and a walking parade for anyone in butterfly regalia (including pets).  The goal of the festival is to celebrate and educate our community about Monarch butterflies and other pollinators and what we can do to help them thrive.  

For 2023, we are excited to announce that beloved Mexican artist Carmen Parra will be the “Godmother of the Festival”.  Ms. Parra is known for her paintings of butterflies.  She also represents Mexico-which is where our Monarchs migrate to in the winter.  Come and meet this wonderful artist at the festival!

The schedule for this event is as follows:

10am-Welcome and Butterfly Walking Parade

10:30am-Dr. Eddie Smith with MSU Extension on “Butterflies and Their Host Plants”

11:30am-Dr. Holly Muraco-Assistant Research Professor with Coastal One Health at Mississippi State Coastal Research and Extension Center on “Monarch Butterflies on Mississippi Barrier Islands”

1:00pm-Exhibits Close

Exhibitors at the Festival include:  Mississippi State Extension, Crosby Arboretum, Pass Christian Garden Club, Hancock and Harrison County Master Naturalists, Hancock County Master Gardeners, Mississippi Forestry Commission, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Harrison and Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Beach Beekeepers Association, Dr. Jeffrey Harris, Mississippi State Apiarist, Dr. Blair Sampson with USDA, Mississippi State University Entomology Department Bug Blues, the Hattiesburg Zoo and the Pass Christian Public Library.

This event is free and open to the public.  We are asking those attending to bring lawn chairs (if they are able).  Butterfly themed costumes are encouraged!  The Market in the Park will also take place during the festival and will have butterfly themed items for sale.  If the weather is bad, the event will be moved to the Pass Christian Library (located at 111 Hiern Avenue).  If you need further information, please call the Pass Christian Public Library at 228-452-4596 or email Butterfliesinthepass@gmail.com for more information.  You can also get information from Facebook (Butterflies in the Pass https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094393281362) or follow the festival on Instagram.  Sponsors for this event include: the Friends of the Pass Christian Public Library, Pass Christian Public Library, City of Pass Christian, Pass Christian Garden Club, Coast Coca-Cola Bottling Unit, Mississippi Wildflower Trail, Keep Mississippi Beautiful and the Mississippi Department of Transportation.  https://www.facebook.com/events/1400638757429867