BETHEL — The Mahoosuc Land Trust plans to hold its Monarch Festival on Sunday, Aug. 13, at Valentine Farm, 162 North Road.

Monarch butterflies gather on a wild flower. Photo by Mike Murphy

This garden is a part of the Habitat for All initiative led by the trust.

New this year is a Junior Naturalist scavenger hunt for children. Participants are tasked with solving as many puzzles as they are old. Successful scavengers will get a Junior Naturalist sticker and a coupon for a free cookie at the Gemini Cafe in Bethel.

This event is free and open to the public. The festival begins at 11 a.m., with MLT’s annual meeting. Bethel poet and National Humanities Medal recipient Richard Blanco will share original poetry to inspire the occasion.

At noon festival activities begin, including an indigo dying demonstration, gardening and monarch butterfly talks, bird walks, children’s activities, insect exploration and artisan vendors. Three free raffle tickets are given to every festival-goer, which they can use to win raffle prizes donated by local vendors and artisans.

Attendees also can watch monarch tagging demonstrations between 1-3 p.m. Each year monarchs make their way from Maine to Mexico as part of their great migration. So far, two monarch butterflies that were tagged at Valentine Farm have been found in El Rosario, a monarch preserve in Mexico, traveling 2,986 miles. Tracking these Monarchs is a critical piece to observing and studying the biodiversity the garden creates for insects and wildlife.

Going on its third year, the festival and the Habitat for All Garden continue to grow. New this year is an evening event the day before with keynote speaker Doug Tallamy, co-founder of the Homegrown National Park initiative. He will join the program via live webcast at The Gem Theater, 48 Cross St., to discuss ecology, biodiversity, gardening, conservation, and why joining the movement and turning a backyard into a wildlife habitat is so important.

Event sponsors include The Rotary Club of Bethel, River Fund of Maine, Franklin Savings Bank, and supporter Norway Savings Bank.

For more information and the agenda for the event, email info@mahoosuc.org or visit mahoosuc.org.

Check out other upcoming area events!