Photo description:

Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Standup Monarch Butterfly Festival Photo of a monarch butterfly feeding on the nectar of the abundance of milkweed flowers planted next to the museum to gain energy for flight on Thursday. The Living Prairie Museum has trays of milkweed plants that the museum is giving away, one to each family, during their upcoming Monarch Butterfly Festival. Milkweed is the essential and exclusive host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars. Female monarchs lay their eggs only on milkweed plants, and the newly hatched caterpillars rely exclusively on its leaves for food. More info: The Living Prairie Museum is prepping for the annual Monarch Butterfly Festival this weekend, August 8 and 9, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This free, all-ages event also marks the 50th anniversary of the museum's official opening in 1976. Aug 6h,, 2026