It's finally here - the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society Butterfly Festival. A favorite in the East Tennessee area, the annual festival will be held 10 a.m.-1 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 29, at the UT Arboretum Auditorium and surrounding grounds, 901 S. Illinois Ave., Oak Ridge.
Activities will include the UT Insect Zoo, two butterfly viewing tents, educational speakers, children's activities, local artisans, food trucks and dulcimer music, according to a news release.
Important information on parking: Parking will be in designated areas of the UT Arboretum adjacent to the event and on a first-come first-served basis. The entrance fee is $5 cash (to facilitate entry) per carload. The gate will be open at 9:30 a.m. The event will take place rain or shine. Accessible parking is available on a first-come first-served basis. Please have your placard clearly visible when you enter the Arboretum to assist parking staff in directing you. A limited shuttle service will also be available from the regular parking areas for those who are not able to access the accessible parking.
Children's craft activities will be available at a cost of a $1 ticket per activity or $10 for all 10 crafts. Payments can be made with cash or credit card.
Children of all ages are expected to enjoy experiencing the UT Insect Zoo, a travelling exhibit of insects found in Tennessee and throughout the world. The goal of the Insect Zoo is to have fun while sharing knowledge of insects with others to help them appreciate the important role of insects in our environment. Two butterfly viewing tents, staffed by graduate students from the UT Entomology and Plant Pathology Department, will be open for a closer look at painted lady butterflies.
Educational presentations will take place inside the air-conditioned Auditorium. Stephen Lyn Bales will speak at 10 a.m. on "We Live in a Wonderland." Kris Light will speak at 11 a.m. on "The Magnificent Monarch Migration to Mexico."
A free pollinator plant will be provided by a local native plant nursery, Tennessee Naturescapes, for each family while the supply lasts. Additional pollinator plants will be available for purchase. New this year, Le Fave Forest Farm will be selling saplings that attract pollinators, such as tulip poplar trees that Eastern tiger swallowtails love.
Food trucks include Pelican's SnoBalls, Rocky Top Hot Dogs, Millborne Bakery, and Calamity's Coffee. For your entertainment, sit a spell and enjoy the beautiful music of the Knoxville Area Dulcimer Club.
The festival will feature several local artisans, all offering pollinator-themed merchandise. Larry Millet will be selling honey produced by bees at the Arboretum and elsewhere in Oak Ridge to fund his honeybee research. The Anderson County Master Gardeners will also have a booth staffed with volunteers who can answer gardening questions.
The UT Arboretum will be closed until 3 p.m. for parking to regular visitors on the day of the Butterfly Festival, Aug. 29. The regular parking lot will be closed, and all parking areas will be dedicated to the Butterfly Festival and require the $5 entrance fee/car. This change is being implemented for the safety of Butterfly Festival visitors and staff.
For more information on the Butterfly Festival, contact Michelle Campanis, [email protected].
Co-sponsored by the UT Forest Resources Research and Education Center, this educational event is designed for children and adults of all ages.
The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society (UTAS) is the arboretum's volunteer organization and is celebrating its 61st year in 2026. UTAS was formed in 1965 to support and enhance the University of Tennessee Arboretum. UTAS is the longest standing volunteer organization in the University of Tennessee system statewide.
The Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center celebrates its 62nd anniversary in 2026. It is one of the 10 UT Institute of Agriculture AgResearch and Education Centers located throughout Tennessee. The Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research and public service through the UT Herbert College of Agriculture, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension offices, with locations in every county in the state.
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: UT Arboretum Butterfly Festival returns Saturday - what you need to know