Crowds gather for the 15th annual International Butterfly Festival

 

story and photos by Ruby Dean
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Butterfly enthusiasts gathered in downtown Paris and Mount Magazine for the 15th annual International Butterfly Festival held Friday and Saturday (June 24-25).

Saturday morning started off with a 5K/Race at 7:30 a.m. followed by a parade at 9.

Vendors were set up in downtown Paris to peddle their wares. A KidZ Zone included a bounce around, face painting, and animal rides. Hands-on activities for children of all ages at Mount Magazine State Park started at 8 a.m. with a high tech pollination hunt.

The self-directed program provided by Mount Magazine was set up into three different categories for explorers of all ages: larva explorer (ages 4-6), butterfly explorer (ages 7-14), and metamorphosis explorer (available for children and adults who have received their Butterfly Explorer Badge and certificate during this year’s festival or past festivals).

This year’s Bug Bonanza exhibit at Mount Magazine State Park included insects and other creatures such as a tarantula and scorpions. Children also learned about different types of butterflies. Dr. Don Steinkraus, with the entomology department at University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, answered questions. This gave the children an opportunity to learn while having fun with the games that were provided.

During the hands-on activities for the children, park interpreters were also available to help the children search for insects for an “insectigation” where they investigated different insects. Butterfly Bingo was a hit for children as well as parents. They were given a description of a butterfly and had to find that butterfly on their card and mark it.

To end the evening at Mount Magazine, Still on the Hill gave a live concert at the Lodge with children and parents enjoying the live show.

A photography and art contest was held in downtown Paris. Local artist Evelyn Crowe, 84, showcased her talent. Evelyn is a former school teacher who began painting during retirement. She has been painting for 10 years.

Although she has dabbed in acrylics and oils, her favorite medium is water colors. Finding subjects that inspire Crowe is a difficult challenge. She said one work of art may be completed in two hours while others may require days.