Butterfly releases and more at Science Mill’s Pollinator Palooza

The Science Mill is celebrating the role of butterflies, bees, and bats during its annual Pollinator Palooza on Saturday and Sunday, April 26-27. The event includes special presentations, hands-on activities, a movie, and live butterfly releases.

Pollinator Palooza is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) museum, 101 S. Lady Bird Lane in Johnson City. Admission may be purchased in advance online or at the door.

“This event is a fun and interesting way to learn about the importance of pollinators like butterflies, how they support food production, and why pollination is super important in the first place,” according to a Science MIll media release about Pollinator Palooza.

PRESENTERS

Local beekeeper Mike Mendez will bring one of his beehives for guests to get an up-close look at how bees do the work of making honey while pollinating plants.
Master Gardener Terri Sparks will educate guests about the variety of native plants and their symbiotic relationship with pollinators. She will also lead a hands-on activity on plants and pollinators.
Asvini Thivakaran, a 10th-grade student from Round Rock and one of the Top Ten 3M Young Scientists in the nation (2022), was inspired to research renewable energy from piezo materials after visiting the Science Mill while in elementary school. She will be at the museum to share her work on renewable energy and the multiple projects she leads to save the planet.