Open house will celebrate 25th anniversary of Monona Butterfly Garden

The Monona Butterfly Garden will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Saturday, July 19, at the Butterfly Garden with an open house. It will start with a 5K Butterfly Run/Walk at 8 a.m. and opening remarks at 10 a.m. Refreshments will follow. There will be chalk for sidewalk art, coloring pages and a scavenger hunt for kids from 1 to 99. Fundraising items will be for sale to benefit the Butterfly Gardens and Trails.  

The Butterfly Garden began as an Iowa Earth Year 2000. It was chosen as a way to preserve a section of property that was an eye sore and a place where migrating Monarch butterflies were known to roost every year in the fall. The butterfly trail was added to take care of some serious erosion issues in the valley. The Memorial Garden and Garden View Park were added and then a trail to connect them. In the past few years, the trail has been extended to Gateway Park and connects to the sidewalks of Monona. Today, you can walk, run, ride your bike or walk your dog between the Monona city parks, Darby Family Aquatic Center, dog park, the MFL MarMac Monona Center and the city center without having to walk on the road.  

Celebrations will be held at the Butterfly Garden at the end of Davis Street. Parking is available in the lot at the end of the street, on Davis Street next to the garden and in the pool parking lot.