Monarch Migration Festival

Sunday, September 14th | 1-4pm

Leslie Science & Nature Center

Join the Leslie Science & Nature Center for our 12th anniversary of the annual Monarch Migration Festival!

Every year, waves of these butterflies migrate over mountains, deserts, and plains in the United States to reach their wintering grounds in Mexico. By registering for this event, you are helping contribute to the conservation efforts put in place to protect these incredible butterflies locally and nationally.

Advance tickets are SOLD OUT, but you can still attend! (Walk-up tix still available)

  • Walk-ups on the day of the event are welcome to pay to attend and participate in games/activities but will not be guaranteed a butterfly to release.

  • You can also join the wait list for advance tickets above. If advance tickets become available then we will contact everyone on the wait list alerting them to ticket availability.

Looking to prepare for our Monarch Migration Festival?

Take the opportunity to purchase one of our new additions for the event: Tote Bags! Tote bags with our festival logo are now available to order ahead of time at a discounted price! At the event, you can pick up your tote bag. The best part? There's an opportunity to tie dye your tote bag at the festival!

All proceeds from the tote bags to our organization's pollinator conversation efforts. 

Your advance tickets allow you to be a part of the main event: Releasing your very own monarch butterfly, or sponsoring a butterfly for us to release in our pollinator garden! All butterflies will be tagged to be included in the large-scale community science project called Monarch Watch. Learn more about it at monarchwatch.org.

You can also learn about monarchs and other migratory species at journeynorth.org.

Advance tickets sold-out!

Activities include:

  • Butterfly tent

  • Face painting

  • Meeting animals up close

  • Talking with local organizations, + more!

Pollinator packs will also be available for participants to purchase at the festival! Each pack has specific resources to help you and others learn about our local pollinators, seeds to start your own pollinator garden, and more! $25

Pollinator Partners Packs include: 

  • Native Wildflower seeds 

  • Mason bee nesting tubes 

  • Local pollinators field guide 

  • Butterfly magnets 

  • Other resources from local conservation partners 

  • and more!

Special Thanks to our Sponsors:

How To Support the 2025 Monarch Migration Festival:

Join us in celebrating 12 years of creating experiences for all to wonder, discover and participate in the process of the Monarchs’ migration. This event has been made possible at only $5 per ticket through generous subsidy from contributors like you. We anticipate welcoming 400 individuals to release butterflies and hope that you will consider partnering with us on this event. Your tax deductible donation will directly support care for the live animals involved, delivery of the Nature Center’s educational curricula and stewardship of the natural habitats that support this event.

To donate in support of the 2025 Monarch Migration Festival, please contact Nathan Phillips, Development Coordinator, at nphillips@aahom.org.

Learn more about partnership opportunities for individuals, organizations and businesses in this brochure (PDF), or contact our Development team.