The 15th annual Insect Festival sponsored by the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County will be held Saturday, Sept. 9, at Mercer Educational Gardens, 431A Federal City Road, Hopewell Township. This year’s festival will be held at a new time, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. Admission is free and on-site parking is available.
This year’s theme, “Please Bug Me,” will feature a return of the Big Bug Band in addition to educational opportunities for visitors of all ages. Bees, butterflies, bugs galore, bugs in water, games in the garden, an insect hunt in the meadow and a Q&A with Barbara J. Bromley, Mercer County’s horticulturist, highlight the many fun activities that will help visitors learn about the importance of insects in our lives.
Local environmental agencies will also be present with their experts and displays, including Rutgers University Entomology faculty, Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, Mercer County Mosquito Control Commission, NJ Department of Agriculture Beneficial Insect Rearing Laboratory, Mercer County 4-H and Mercer County Equestrian Center. The naturalists from the Mercer County Park Commission will also be present to lead insect-related activities.
Attendees are invited to view the seven demonstration gardens — annual, butterfly, cottage, herb, native plant, perennial and weed ID. Along the way, there will be activities that will entertain and teach children of all ages about the incredible and often beautiful insects common to the Northeast.
For more information, visit mgofmc.org.
