Fifth Annual Duluth Monarch Festival

DULUTH, Minn. — A festival was held in Duluth on Saturday to spread awareness of the endangered monarch butterfly species and help increase their habitat.

Not only was the festival packed with fun activates related to the beautiful animals, like face painting and crafts, but there was a lot to learn about monarchs.

Plants and seeds were available to give the butterflies homes for the summer. Speakers were also onsite to share the importance of protecting the pollinators during a hard time.

“The population is down just over 90 % in the last 20 years, which is huge, so we’re encouraging people to not use pesticides in their yard, and to make sure when they buy plants that they haven’t been treated with pesticides,” said Festival Coordinator Carolyn Schroeder.

The festival returned this year for the fifth time after a break due to Covid-19. Their comeback was a success as hundreds of northlanders dipped a toe into the world of monarchs and learned how to keep them safe.