Audubon Community Nature Center is looking for volunteers, vendors and supporters for their annual Monarch Butterfly Festival on Saturday, August 26 and the Butterflies and Brews adults-only event the evening before. Both events celebrate the life and beauty of one of the best-known native butterflies.

The Audubon Community Nature Center is looking for volunteers and supports for its annual Monarch Butterfly Festival.

Audubon raises more than 100 monarch butterflies each year to help boost their population and hosts the Monarch Butterfly Festival to educate the public about a unique butterfly species that is under threat.

Planning is underway for the 2023 festival on Saturday, Aug. 26, and the adults-only Butterflies and Brews on Friday, Aug. 25.

Transforming Audubon’s multipurpose room into a garden of flowers and free-flying butterflies, offering nature walks, butterfly programs, crafts, photo ops, and more demand the efforts of many people. Volunteers are needed to take admissions, lend a hand in the Monarch Room, assist people with viewing caterpillars, and other activities. To help, contact Emily Nelson, ACNC volunteer coordinator, at 716-569-2345 or ENelson@auduboncnc.org.

Vendors and sponsors are needed as well. Audubon is looking to add to vendors already coming that now include 3 C’s Food Truck. Those with locally-made or butterfly-related products who want to participate can contact contact Audubon Public Engagement Specialist Jeff Tome at 716-569-2345 or JTome@AudubonCNC.org.

Festival sponsors to date are Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P.C., M W Graphics and Wegmans.

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 Furniture/A Brand of eSolutions Furniture, Hal and Mary Conarro, National Fuel Gas Company, Weinberg Financial Group, and Whirley Drinkworks!

To learn about becoming an Audubon community partner or a sponsor for the Monarch Butterfly Festival events, contact Audubon Executive Director Leigh Rovegno at 716-569-2345 or LRovegno@AudubonCNC.org.

For details of both the Friday, Aug. 25, Butterflies and Brews and Saturday, Aug. 26, Monarch Butterfly Festival, call 716-569-2345 or go to AudubonCNC.org and click on Programs and Events.