Submitted Photo The Audubon Community Nature Center will host its 2022 Monarch Butterfly Festival on Saturday, Aug. 27.

The Audubon Community Nature Center will hold its annual Monarch Butterfly Festival on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In an indoor butterfly garden area residents can hand-feed the butterflies and observe their life cycle as they examine Monarch eggs and hold caterpillars. Watch citizen scientists tag them to track their migration to Mexico when they are released at 4 p.m.

The once abundant butterfly is slowly recovering from record-low populations. Learn more about their plight, tour the outdoor butterfly garden and learn how to create a butterfly garden.

Use a net to catch insects around the pond, do crafts, take a nature hike, explore the Ted Grisez arboretum and additional gardens, and view exhibits of live fish, reptiles, and amphibians, including the Hellbenders.

There will also be temporary Monarch tattoos, food from the 3 C’s food truck and vendors selling nature-related items.

Audubon’s 20-year-resident Bald Eagle, Liberty, and new resident Cricket, an American Kestrel, are also available for viewing.

The James Prendergast Library will be in attendance with STEM gear and free books.

Festival admission is $8, or $6 for Nature Center members and children ages 3 to 15. Two and under are free, as is parking.

Butterflies and Brews, an adults-only version of the Festival, is Friday, Aug. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. Event attendees receive two drink tickets to be used when selecting from local and non-local beers at the bar. Food stations will include appetizers, taco bar, and desserts. Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy will be onsite to talk about the importance of creating pollinator-friendly habitat areas in addition to other education stations facilitated by ACNC volunteers and staff. Yard games will be available in the Nature Center’s back yard for some friendly competition.

2022 Monarch Festival event sponsors include Wegmans, Jamestown Kitchen and Bath, Courier Capital, and Pat and Mark Evans.

Audubon community partners include Carnahan-Jackson Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Curt and Susie Westrom, Holmberg Foundation, Hultquist Foundation, Jessie Smith Darrah Fund, Lenna Foundation, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, Bob Frucella’s Tax Service, Bush Industries/a Brand of eSolutions Furniture, Hal and Mary Conarro, Univera Healthcare, Weinberg Financial Group and Whirley-Drinkworks!

For registration information and more details of both Butterflies and Brews and the Monarch Butterfly Festival, call 716-569-2345 or go to AudubonCNC.org.