by Audra H. Anders for The Aha! Connection
I recently sat down at the Dunwoody Nature Center with three of the lovely ladies working behind the scenes to bring us a fabulous 2021 Butterfly Experience. As it turns out, the weekend of August 19-22 is going to be HUGE in Dunwoody. Plan to stay in town that weekend! Not only will we have the Butterfly Experience but we’ll also have Butterflies and Brews, a DHS “home” football game, Lemonade Days, FoodStock at DUMC, the Dunwoody Farmer’s Market and Food Truck Thursday at Brook Run Park!
Debbie, Darcy, and Mary are having a blast getting ready for what many people say is Dunwoody’s best event of the year. Originally the Butterfly “Festival” was a one-day event. Due to Covid-19 health concerns, last year’s festival morphed into an 8 day “experience”. In 2020, tickets were assigned to specific time slots to keep the crowds leaner and spread out over several days. Much was learned during the transition and this year’s 4-day Butterfly Experience is certain to be the best yet! Here’s what to expect….
You can purchase a ticket for a specific 20-minute time slot to enter one of the two outdoor tents. Masks will be required in the tent. Crowds are limited to 20 people per tent to experience the butterflies in all their vibrant beauty! New this year, you get to enjoy the “Pollinator Pathway” before or after your designated tent time. The 600 Butterflies are definitely the stars of the show BUT…..the Nature Center wants to educate us about the many other important local pollinators whilst we are there! Along the pollinator pathway masks are not required and you’ll find several stations including:
- The Observation Beehive….I was able to get a sneak peek at this beehive behind a glass window. What a marvel to see all the bees working to make honey. If you search long enough you can even find the Queen!
- Peculiar Pollinators….educational information about hummingbirds, snails, slugs, bats, moths and other not so well-known pollinators.
- Tie Dye Station….This year’s Butterfly Experience tee shirt is white and will be available to purchase at the event. Those wanting to add some color to their shirts can do so while at the tie dye station along the Pollinator Pathway.
- Arts and Crafts….Pollinator themed and sure to be fun for the kiddos!
- Monarchs…..a special station dedicated to the beautiful monarch butterflies. You’ll learn about this world traveling butterfly and can even buy milkweed plants on the spot to take home and do your part to help feed these gorgeous creatures along their journey!
There will be live music every day of the experience, with special entertainment Saturday such as animal and bird shows, Polynesian dancers, and a magician. There will be food and drinks available every day. There will be live music every day of the experience, with special entertainment Saturday such as animal and bird shows, Polynesian dancers, and a magician. And…..for FRIDAY something new, cool, and different…introducing: Butterflies and Brews for the 21+ crowd! This special event will be capped at 150 and is already halfway sold out so purchase your tickets ASAP! Porter Brew & Que will be on site serving BBQ, beer, wine, and seltzer. Participants can see the butterflies, listen to music, eat, drink and be merry while hanging out at the most beautiful outdoor space in Dunwoody!
Fun fact: Did you know the Nature Center has to quarantine all the plants from the butterfly tents for 3 weeks after the experience? The starring 600 butterflies are from Vibrant Wings in Texas. In order to protect our Eco-system, they have to make sure no eggs are laid on the plants that remain in Georgia!
Please plan to join me, Peggy, Lauren and our families at the Dunwoody Nature Center during one of the four days of the Butterfly Experience. You’ll see such a diverse group of people from babies in slings to grandparents behind walkers. You’ll see high schoolers, and college kids, young kids, and parents all with smiles on their faces as they experience the beauty of the butterflies! Keep tuning in as we will be giving away tickets to the Butterfly Experience over the next few weeks!
The Butterfly Experience Ticket Purchase Link
Thursday-Sunday; August 19-22
$10 per person. Children 3 and under FREE!
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- August 19 – 3:00PM-7:00PM
- August 20 – 10:00AM-3:00PM
- August 21 – 9:00AM-4:00PM
- August 22 – 10:00AM-3:00PM
Butterflies and Brews Ticket Purchase Link
5-8 PM Friday, August 20
$30 per person.
Each ticket includes two drink vouchers, access to the buffet (includes vegetarian options), and entry to the butterfly tent.
