Kansas City’s Botanical Garden celebrates 26 years of its family-favorite festival July 20-August 6, 2023
Festival of Butterflies (July 20-August 6, 2023) invites nature enthusiasts of all ages to celebrate the Midwest’s most whimsical pollinator at Powell Gardens. Spend a day outdoors exploring tropical and native butterflies alongside stunning botanic displays. This festival is a Kansas City family-favorite for a reason!
Powell Gardens celebrates butterflies as an important part of the Midwest spirit of place. Butterflies bring movement and interest to our gardens, but they also play a critical role in the food supply chain. These small creatures pollinate plants and impact our environment in big ways.
In 2023, Festival of Butterflies explores butterflies through cultures around the world. Visit each Saturday evening for Festival Nights focused on Mexico (July 22), the South Pacific Islands (July 29) and Japan (August 5). Each ticketed event includes entertainment and two drinks. Learn more and purchase tickets online at powellgardens.org/butterflies.
Start your visit in the Martha Jane Phillips Starr Conservatory with an up-close encounter with Queen and Monarch butterflies. Before you leave the Visitor Center, venture into the new Moth Cave. Next, travel to the Garden Galleries to learn about host plants and the butterflies they support. Follow the Butterfly Meadow through some of Missouri’s native pollinating plants. Near the path’s entrance, you’ll find the Native Butterfly Habitat full of butterflies native to the Midwest.
Continue exploring off the beaten path. The Lotus Pond (located on the 1-mile Family Discovery Loop) features a mass planting of morning-blooming American Lotus and three decks to enjoy pond-side.
Round out your Festival of Butterflies visit by adding butterfly excursions to your itinerary. Favorites include the Butterfly Lab, Science Exploratorium, a visit to Fortopia, climbing around the Pollinator Playground, coloring at the Cooling Station, and more!
During Festival of Butterflies, Powell Gardens is open Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (The Gardens are open 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Saturday August 5.) For tickets and more information, please visit powellgardens.org/butterflies. All offerings are included with festival admission, apart from select items from the Flutter Fair and tickets to Festival Nights.
As summer heats up in Kansas City, Powell Gardens looks forward to welcoming you to Kansas City’s Botanical Garden.
