Join the City of Marshalltown’s Parks and Recreation Department, the Marshall County Conservation Board and the Marshalltown Convention & Visitors Bureau for the 3rd annual “Monarchs and Milkweed for the Marshalltown Area” butterfly event on Sept. 15 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. at the GrimesFarm shelter area.

Bring family and friends to participate in this free program highlighting pollinators and the amazing monarch butterfly. Join in fun family crafts, and an interactive presentation on the pollinators of Iowa by the Blank Park Zoo.  Other information on how to help provide habitat here in Marshalltown and surrounding areas will be available. Capture and tag live monarchs in the field before they leave on their journey to Mexico.  A limited number of butterfly nets will be available for use, but participants may bring personal nets, too. Cookies will be served!

Each family will receive a packet of milkweed plant seeds and a milkweed or other flowering plant (while supplies last). Carefully, take both seeds and plants home and place in a moist garden area. This fun family event offers the opportunity to help build sustainability for monarchs in Marshalltown and surrounding areas by planting and providing needed food plants for these amazing butterflies.

Please join the City of Marshalltown, the Marshall County Conservation Board and the Marshalltown Convention & Visitors Bureau as they work to provide monarch habitat in the city and surrounding area! The entire program will be conveniently located all at the GrimesFarm shelter area (2359 – 233^rd Street – west of Highland Acres Road between Iowa Avenue and West Lincoln Way).

For more information, call the Marshall County Conservation Board at 641-752-5490 or Marshalltown CVB at 641-753-6645.