Third Annual Butterfly Festival

Sunday, 13 February 2011 10:08 Written by Administrator

Butterflies, Bluegrass, Gardens and More
Saturday, July 16, 2011 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Sunday, July 17, 2011 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center and Nathanael Greene and Close Memorial Parks, 2400 S. Scenic Avenue, in Springfield.

Download and print the Informational Brochure & Schedule:

icon Butterfly Festival 2011 Brochure & Schedule (140.39 kB)

kiddiepillar1 Amberg Enterainment's Kiddiepillar will be at this year's Butterfly FestivalTour the Dr. Bill Roston Native Butterfly House full of live butterflies, learn how to attract butterflies to your home landscape, explore a garden of host plants, shop for plants and garden accents from local vendors, and enjoy children's crafts and activities including a Caterpillar Petting Zoo with live animals. Admission is free.

Join in the festivities! This year's festival includes contests awarding cash and prizes to photographers, quilters, and crafty costumers.

In 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 Butterfly Garden

Explore a garden of host plants forcaterpillars and butterflies. Don’t miss the Butterfly Release Saturday at 11:00am!

In the Botanical Center

Discover this new facility, watch a butterfly video, and join one of our free classes. Photo and quilt contest entries will be on display.

In the Park

Tour the gardens, visit the Caterpillar Petting Zoo, enjoy storytime and crafts, bouche your way throught a 35-foot long caterpillar and more! Come ready to shop for plants, home and garden accents, jewelry, art and more from local vendors.

Live Music

Bluegrass and Blossoms fans of years past can find their favorite performers here Saturday from 1:00-5:00pm. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the sounds of Reel Greene and Red Bridge.

Enter our Contests!

Enter our “Nature in the Park” Photo Competition or Butterfly Quilt Block Contest!

Don't forget to dress your best!

Flap or wriggle to the festival in your butterfly or caterpillar costume and join the Pollinator Parade! Ages 15 and under may sign up at a contest table each day by 1:45pm for a chance to win cash and prizes. Butterfly fans of all ages, create your own masterpiece for a chance to win cash and prizes in our Butterfly Hat Contest! Wear your hat to a contest table by 12:30pm on Sunday.

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.

Location

The Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center and Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park are located at 2400 S. Scenic Avenue in Springfield.

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 new Botanical Center building.

Schedule of Events

Tuesday, 10 May 2011 09:50 Written by Administrator

This schedule can be printed by clicking the icon to the upper right or download a Butterfly Festival Brochure which includes the schedule and additional information using the link below.

Butterfly Festival 2011 Brochure & Schedule (140.39 kB)

Saturday, July 16 *Festival Activities open 10:00am-4:00pm*
10:00 am	“Nature in the Park” Photo Competition Awards	Sponsored by the Southwest Missouri Camera Club	Botanical Center Atrium
10:15 am	“Butterfly Beginnings”	Discover the butterfly life cycle. 20 mins., for families with children 6-12	Botanical Center Classroom
11:00 am	“Gardening for Butterflies”	Learn to attract butterflies to your home landscape	Botanical Center Classroom
11:00 am	Live Butterfly Release	Meet some of our native butterfly species	Butterfly Garden
12:00 pm	“Butterfly Photography”	Expert tips and tricks for your own butterfly photos	Botanical Center Classroom
12:30 pm	Colorguard Presentation	By the Ozarks Regional Young Marines	The Walnut Grove, west of Butterfly House
1:00 pm	Live Music Begins	Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the show	The Walnut Grove, west of Butterfly House
1:00 pm	“Butterflies’ Lives”	Introducing the life and biology of your favorite insects! For ages 12 and up	Botanical Center Classroom
1:00 pm	Butterfly Storytime	Join us for a butterfly story or two	Redbud Garden Gazebo, just east of the Botanical Center
1:45 pm	Butterfly Costume Contest	Make sure you’ve entered your costume at one of the contest tables	Botanical Center South Plaza
2:00 pm	Pollinator Parade	Wear your costume and join the fun	Botanical Center South Plaza
2:00 pm	“Keeping Caterpillars”	Learn how to raise caterpillars and witness their metamorphosis	Botanical Center Classroom
3:00 pm	Butterfly Storytime	Join us for a butterfly story or two	Redbud Garden Gazebo, just east of the Botanical Center
Sunday, July 17 Festival Activities open 11:00am-4:00pm
11:00 am	“Gardening for Butterflies”	Learn to attract butterflies to your home landscape	Botanical Center Classroom
12:00 pm	“Butterfly Photography”	Expert tips and tricks for your own butterfly photos	Botanical Center Classroom
1:00 pm	“Butterflies’ Lives”	Introducing the life and biology of your favorite insects! For ages 12 and up	Botanical Center Classroom
1:00 pm	Butterfly Storytime	Join us for a butterfly story or two	Redbud Garden Gazebo, just east of the Botanical Center
1:45 pm	Butterfly Costume Contest Butterfly Hat Contest Awards	Make sure you’ve entered your costume or hat at a contest table	Botanical Center South Plaza
2:00 pm	Pollinator Parade	Wear your costume and join the fun	Botanical Center South Plaza
3:00 pm	Butterfly Storytime	Join us for a butterfly story or two	Redbud Garden Gazebo, just east of the Botanical Center
3:30 pm	“Butterfly Beginnings”	Discover the butterfly life cycle. 20 mins., for families with children 6-12	Botanical Center Classroom

Monday, 28 June 2010 11:54 Written by Administrator

First Annual

"Nature in the Park" - Call for Entries

Friends of the Garden, the Southwest Missouri Camera Club and GREENE Magazine invite area photographers to enter the First Annual Nature in the Park Photography Competition.

Prizes valued at more than $500 will be awarded courtesy of Black River Imaging and Lawrence Photo & Video, prizes to be awarded in both Adult and Youth categories. Entries are limited to one per person in each category.

Prizes will be awarded during the Third Annual Butterfly Festival, July 16th & 17th, 2011.

All pictures must be taken at the new Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center complex including Nathanael Greene Park, Close Memorial Park, and the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden. Images may show natural habitats, plant life, natural landscapes, wildlife, or people interacting with nature. Categories include color and black-and-white images for youth (age 11 and under) and adults (age 12 and over). Participants may each submit 1 color and 1 black-and-white entry.

Prizes to be awarded

Four first prize winners will each receive a $100 gift certifcate to Black River Imaging. The 2 adult First-Prize winners will also receive a year's membership to Friends of the Garden.
Four second prize winners will each receive a $50 gift certificate to Lawrence Photo & Video.
Four third prize winners will each receive a year membership to The Southwest Missouri Camera Club.
Two adult first prize winners will receive a one-year membership in Friends of the Garden
All entries will be displayed at the Botanical Center with the winners to be announced during the Butterfly Festival.

To enter, please prepare your 8X10 entry as follows:

Mat photo with an 11X14 inch mat in black or white
No name or identification should appear on the front of the photo or mat.
Information on the back of the photo is to include: Name, age, address including city, state, and zip code, phone number, and e-mail. Entry forms for this information are available at the Botanical Center gift shop.

Entries will be accepted between March 1 and June 30 at the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center, 2400 S. Scenic Avenue, Springfield, Missouri, 65807 and may be mailed to the Botanical Center or dropped off at the gift shop.

For more information about the competition and to complete an official entry form:

icon First Annual Nature in the Park Photo Competition (395.05 kB)

Quilt Block Contest

Thursday, 21 April 2011 04:54 Written by Administrator

Butterfly Quilt Block Contest sponsored by the Ozark Piecemakers Quilt Guild

Quilt blocks must have a butterfly or moth theme and may include any part of the life cycle (egg, caterpillar, pupa or cocoon, and adult).
All entries will be displayed at the Botanical Center during the Butterfly Festival, July 16 and 17 2011, with the winners to be announced during the Butterfly Festival. Entries should be a 12" block (12 1/2" unfinished) and any method of construction will be accepted, including hand or machine pieced, appliquéd, or embroidered. Blocks submitted will not be returned, but will be made into a quilt for donation to Friends of the Garden.

Entries are due by June 28, 2011. For more information or to submit an entry, please contact Janice Woodring with the Ozark Piecemakers Quilt Guild at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 417-827-9729.

Costume Contest

Thursday, 21 April 2011 06:36 Written by Administrator

Butterfly and Caterpillar Costume Contest sponsored by the Greater Ozarks Hosta Society

We would love to see you flapping or wiggling through our festival in your best butterfly or caterpillar costume! Enter your costume in our contest and join the Butterfly Festival Pollination Parade each day of the festival at 2:00 pm. Sign up at the Contest Table by 1:45 pm each day to enter. Cash prizes are sponsored by the Greater Ozarks Hosta Society. Costume entries may be handmade or store-bought or a combination. For ages 15 and under.

1st prize $50
2nd prize $35
3rd prize $25

3rd Annual Butterfly Festival

The Dr. Bill Roston Butterfly House Information

HOURS:

Saturday & Sunday: 10 am- 6 pm
Tuesday & Wednesday: 5 pm - Dusk
Free Tram Saturday & Sunday: 1 pm - 5 pm
Open May - September

100% VOLUNTEER:

Want to spend some time enjoying the butterflies in our Butterfly House, while teaching others about these important animals? It’s easy to become a Butterfly House Volunteer Docent, Butterfly Collector or to get involved with Friends of the Garden. For group tours call 417.891-1515. To become a Butterfly House docent contact Scott at jscottc55@hotmail.com or 417.860.8272.

The Dr. Bill Roston Butterfly House is maintained completely by volunteers. We’re funded only by your private donations. Your investment will help us expand our service to the community.

Mail donations payable to:
Friends of the Garden
PO Box 8566 | Springfield, MO 65801

We’re individuals & families who support the Botanical Center & Gardens in its mission to provide outstanding botanical, horticultural and environmental education opportunities for people of all ages. Anyone with an interest or appreciation in nature who wish to support the progress of the gardens is encouraged to join this non-profit organization Friends of the Garden. As a member, you’re a partner in the future of the these gardens.

Become a Friend of the Garden

icon How to Make a Butterfly Garden (1.3 MB)