Monarch Fiesta at Espace pour la vie - A big family get-together to celebrate the queen of butterflies!

MONTRÉAL, Aug. 16, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Espace pour la vie is holding the second annual Monarch Fiesta, put together by the Insectarium team, to be held August 24 and 25, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Jardin botanique. It will be a wonderful fun-filled event for the whole family to celebrate the monarch butterfly—the iconic species of the Insectarium's conservation efforts. The program will include a weekend festival filled with amazing discoveries, Mexican music, arts and crafts workshops, games for young and old alike, yoga, gardening tips and lots more! Join in these activities and you'll not only learn more about monarchs, while having fun at the same time, but also become more aware of what you can do to help save these beautiful butterflies.

FAMILY FUN

Craft your own butterfly antennae, choose your make-up (caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly or milkweed flower?), get your wings ready for the musical parade of young monarchs—all these activities are in the line-up for the two-day celebration! But that's not all: you'll also be able to make your own monarch kite with your family, and get to meet Chloé, a super shy caterpillar, at a puppet show for three-to-five-year-olds called Chloé, où es-tu? (10:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.), play the giant game Travel Like a Monarch and discover treasures hidden in a huge piñata.

On Sunday, the winners of the Follow the Monarchs! contest, organised in partnership with Télé-Québec, will be announced. As part of the contest, over 12,000 people have been taking steps to save monarchs. The grand prize is a trip for four to a monarch sanctuary in Mexico in the winter of 2020, accompanied by an expert from the Insectarium. The stand of the Consulate General of Mexico in Montréal will feature the exhibition This is my Mexico, displaying the winning entries in the international drawing contest, which asked children to illustrate their love for monarchs.

DANCE TO THE SOUND OF MEXICAN MUSIC

At 11:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., the members of SoNSuRyLuNa, a traditional and fusion musical group that is reinventing Mexican classics by fusing them with bossa nova, reggae, cumbia, bolero, jazz and flamenco, will get you dancing to their unique lively rhythms! Their music and songs, inspired by tales and legends, will carry you to the different regions of Mexico.

MONARCH YOGA and MONARCH FEAST

Learn to relax like a butterfly, in a yoga session, and cook for monarchs: two new activities that will spice up the Monarch Fiesta experience.

HELP SAVE THE MONARCHS

Both kids and adults can take part in workshops to learn how to identify young milkweed plants, caterpillars and butterflies. Equipped with this knowledge, you'll be able to contribute your observations to the Mission Monarch research program. With advice from the Insectarium guides, you'll also be able to create an oasis for monarchs at home, which means you'll be able to take part in the My Space for Life Garden certification program.

TRACE THE HISTORY OF EVOLUTION

In 2019, Space for Life explores nature and biodiversity through the lens of evolution. How have phenomena taking place over thousands of years resulted in the fascinating history of life on our planet? A complex, exciting story to investigate and discover!

Espace pour la vie is made up of four attractions on the same site: the Biodôme, Insectarium, Jardin botanique and Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan. These four prestigious municipal institutions form Canada's largest natural science museum complex. Together, they are launching a daring, creative urban movement, encouraging all of us to rethink the connection between humankind and nature and cultivate a new way of living.

Press kit and visuals: http://bit.ly/FiestaMonarque

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk941w5X_lw

SOURCE Espace pour la vie