The 3rd annual Monarch Festival & Race is taking place Saturday, September 20th at Millennium Park, Peterborough. This year’s event is a gathering of vibrant music and culture, and serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of community engagement and environmental activism. Hosted by the Monarch Ultra, an organization dedicated to raising awareness for monarch butterflies, the festival brings together people of all ages to raise awareness for the critical role monarch butterflies play in our ecosystem.

At its heart, the Monarch Festival is a celebration of nature’s beauty and the interconnectedness of all living things. Organizations and environmental groups will be out in full force, educating attendees on how they can support monarch butterfly populations and other pollinators. From planting native milkweed to protecting pollinator habitats, attendees will learn about actionable ways to protect these endangered species. Workshops on pollinator gardens and monarch butterfly tagging will allow for meaningful conversations about environmental activism, showing that when communities come together, change is possible.

Some of the activities included in the weekend’s event are a 10km Race and 1km Kids Fun Run along along the Rotary Trail and picturesque Otonabee River. For those wanting to come out and cheer on the runners, the 10km route can be accessed here: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2556557. Starts times include 9:30am for 1km Kids Fun Run and 10:00am for 10km Race. Following the race, community members are invited to attend the Monarch Butterfly Festival, from 10:00am-2:00pm at Millennium Park. Indigenous drumming, Zumba dancing, face painting, piñata fun, a scavenger hunt for little explorers, a silent auction, and environmental presentations are part of the festival itinerary, while over twenty vendors have been invited to showcase sustainability and biodiversity initiatives. Participants can also receive free milkweed seeds to support Monarch conservation.

Another exciting aspect of the event is the Art Competition for high school students that promises to showcase the beauty of monarch butterflies while encouraging creativity and awareness for youth. The winner of the Art Competition will receive a tote bag with art supplies from the Art Gallery of Peterborough. This year’s fundraiser is for Camp Kawartha, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring environmental stewardship and fostering meaningful connections with nature. The funds raised will go directly to purchasing native plants to create nature-rich schoolyards that serve as powerful examples of reconciliation with the land—places where people and nature can thrive side by side.

More information on the Monarch Festival & Race can be found here: https://www.themonarchultra.com/ peterborough.html