Monarchs in the Park returns for fifth year celebrations at Legacy Park on September 28

The City of Norman invites the community to celebrate pollinators at the fifth annual Monarchs in the Park Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 28 at Legacy Park, 1898 Legacy Park Drive.

This free, family-friendly event will feature native plant sales, educational activities, children's crafts, interactive games, food trucks, and the popular Pet Pollinator Parade, where participants and their pets can showcase their best pollinator-themed costumes. To join the parade, participants should arrive at the park by 3:30 p.m., when the parade begins.

The event will also feature three Meet the Expert Sessions:

• Connie Scothorn | 12:00-12:20 p.m. - Discover how native plants enhance your landscape and support the environment with this award-winning landscape architect
• Vonceil Harmon | 1:20-1:40 p.m. - Learn about the current status of the Monarch Butterfly and how we can help this vital creature from this biologist, researcher and longtime festival supporter
• Terry Craghead | 1:40-2:00 p.m. - Learn how compost helps improve pollinator habitats from the president and founding member at Fertile Ground Cooperative, a worker-owned cooperative focused on protecting local ecosystems

There will live music from local musicians during the event, to include:

• Nicolette Nicar & Jay Skinner | 11:05-12:00 p.m.
• Slacker and Co | 12:20-1:20 p.m.
• Peter Erickson | 2:00-2:40 p.m.
• Hosty | 2:40-3:40 p.m.

Vendors and community partner tables will be spread throughout the park and there will also be a 2026 Volkswagen ID Buzz provided by Fowler as part of the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments' (ACOG) electric vehicle car show, showcasing the latest in EV innovation and technology. View a full lineup, schedule details and a festival map here.

New t-shirts designed by Dane Heins with Yatra Creative will be available for purchase at the festival to celebrate five years of raising awareness for pollinators and environmental care at this annual event.

"Monarchs in the Park is a fun way to learn about pollinators and their importance in our world," said Michele Loudenback, Environmental and Sustainability Manager. "We look forward to sharing ideas with the community about how they can support pollinators and contribute to a healthy environment right in their own backyards. Every year this festival grows bigger and brighter, and we're incredibly grateful for the support of everyone who is helping to make this year's event a success!"

Parking for the event is available anywhere in the commercial area. The event is part of the City's fall sustainability series organized by the Division of Environmental Resilience & Sustainability.

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