Harrisonburg extends pollinator celebration to month-long series

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Plans to protect the urban ecosystem in the Friendly City are in full bloom. Harrisonburg Public Works is preparing for the annual pollinator week to be a month-long celebration.

The goal is to be able to include butterflies and fireflies as well as the honeybee. More opportunities are available for people to get involved in creating a better urban habitat for these insects through partners like the Harrisonburg Farmers Market.

The Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance group will be kicking off their best weekend ever event with a butterfly hotel workshop where people can construct their own butterfly house and take it home with them,” Harrisonburg Public Works Outreach Specialist Brittany Clem-Hott said.

The extended time is to match and support the energy and efforts the National Wildlife Federation has for the affair.

Added partnerships and collaborations with schools and organizations go toward saying thank you to the insects who play a part in healthy human living.

Another activity is a stroll among fireflies at the Heritage Oaks golf course. Here is the full list of events:

• Keister Elementary Pollinator Garden Volunteering - June 1, 9:00 am - Bring your gloves and join JMU’s College of Integrated Science and Engineering in a community volunteer pollinator garden clean up supporting pollinator gardens at our local elementary schools! The volunteer work for this event will take place in the Keister Elementary School Garden. Contact Amy Goodall if you are interested in participating at goodalal@jmu.edu
• Guided Pollinator Walking Tour - June 1, 10:30 am and 1:30 pm - Meet at Liberty Park, 188 North Liberty Street, Harrisonburg, for a guided downtown pollinator walking tour and discover what pollinators are in City spaces downtown! One tour will take place at 10:30 am and a second tour will take place at 1:30pm.
• Harrisonburg Farmers Market - June 13, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm - Come visit our booth and learn about pollinators! Stop by and pick up your own pollinator plant and learn about all the fun activities taking place during Pollinator Month!
• .Butterfly House Workshop at Liberty Park - June 16, 5:30 pm - Liberty Park, 188 North Liberty Street - Join Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance for a fun workshop and kickoff for the popular Best.Weekend.Ever. event! Participants will construct their very own butterfly house to take home and use to support the pollinators! Witness a special Rocktown Urban Wood Butterfly House Free Library unveiling during the event! The Free Library unveiling will take place at 5:30pm followed by the workshop at 6:00pm. Registration is required. Register here
• Guided Pollinator Walking Tour - June 20, 10:30am and 1:30pm - Meet at Liberty Park, 188 North Liberty Street, for a second chance to attend a guided downtown pollinator walking tour and discover what pollinators are in City spaces downtown! One tour will take place at 10:30am and a second tour will take place at 1:30pm.
• Celebrating the Firefly - June 21, 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm - Heritage Oaks Golf Course, 680 Garbers Church Road - Enjoy the longest day of the year and the spectacle of thousands of fireflies. Enjoy a short educational session discussing the different types of fireflies in our area and why they are beneficial. As the sun sets and dusk arrives there will be the option to stroll down the paths at Heritage Oaks Golf Course and see the fireflies lighting up!
• Lunch and Learn about Pollinators - June 23, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - Liberty Park, 188 North Liberty Street - Pick up your lunch from a Harrisonburg downtown restaurant or bring one from home and enjoy chatting with City staff about pollinators, what to plant, native plants, pollinator-friendly practices, and more! Pick up your very own pollinator plant as you enjoy the beauty of the flowers in Liberty Park.
• Bee Hotel Workshop - June 27, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm - Purcell Park 41 Monument Avenue, Shelter 3 - Building a pollinator hotel is a great way to attract solitary bees and other pollinators to your garden. Join Public Works in building a pollinator hotel for your yard. First come, first serve with one kit given per family. Once your hotel is complete, participants will learn how to use iNaturalist to identify local pollinator plants.

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