Lake Katherine Butterfly Celebration helps connect cultures

As countless monarch butterflies make their way through Illinois toward their wintertime destination in Mexico, some became the center of attention in Palos Heights last weekend during its annual Monarch Butterfly Celebration and Makers Market.

And a few more were added to the migration as well as children at the festival received a small plastic case with a butterfly inside to release.

Many of the orange insects alighted on the hands and shoulders of the kids and adults who released them inside a screened tent.

The Monarch festival has been going on for more than three decades but this year added a vendor market with sustainable or green products. People also had a chance to create their own scarecrow making with wood, hay and donated clothes, a past tradition that was added back this year. And to tie in to the monarch migration, there was an ofrenda and exhibit that helped showcase the connection between the butterflies, their travel to Mexico and their place in the Day of the Dead celebration.

There were also hay rides, live animals, food vendors and educational components with booths from the University of Illinois Extension.

“They can see the butterflies up close and release them, which is really cool,” said Caitlin Shaughnessy, who came with her husband Patrick and three young kids, ages 6, 4 and 2.

There was also some reminiscing for Shaughnessy, of Tinley Park, who grew up in the area and made scarecrows at the festival years ago.

“That brings back memories,” she said.

Adam Mazur enjoyed watching his kids interact with the butterflies landing on them.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “We come here all the time to walk by the lake.”

Tara Taylor, education program coordinator for Lake Katherine Nature Center, said she marveled at the interactions between families and the butterflies.

“From a professional standpoint, one of the reasons I love doing this is seeing the awe and the compassion they show,” she said. “Just seeing the bravery, too (letting the butterflies land on them without flinching).”

Taylor said she and staff added new components to the event yearly and were excited about the new Day of the Dead exhibit, which was done in connection with 18th Street Casa de Cultura in Chicago.

The ofrenda, an altar to honor past relatives, had a large butterfly on each side in honor of the monarchs that overwinter in Mexican forests.

“It’s believed it’s their past loved ones’ spirits as butterflies, coming to visit them for 24 hours,” said Taylor. “It’s a really beautiful thing, this big celebration to honor the life of loved ones.”

Kids got to pretend they were butterflies, too, at an outdoor exhibit with large butterfly pictures and costume wings for them to wear.

Gareth Blakesley, director and chief naturalist, said the festival was a way to get families excited about butterflies and nature.

“For families, it’s a great way for people of all ages to enjoy the beauty of monarch butterflies,” said Blakesley. “Our mission at Lake Katherine is connecting people with nature and what better way than enjoying the spectacle of a butterfly tent full of monarch butterflies.”

But it’s also a way to educate people about the importance of the butterflies and help them flourish, he said.

“The Monarch celebration is a great way for people to learn about the monarch butterfly and why its migration is so important,” said Blakesley. “It gives opportunities for people to understand the monarchs’ cultural and ecological importance but also about the things that people can do at home to help the monarchs, like planting milkweed.”

Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.