GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Native plants and frothy beers await at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Pollinator Palooza on June 21 from 2 to 6 p.m. at First Magnitude Brewing Co.
Glide over to this family-friendly festival for free plants, a special pollinator-themed beer, food trucks and educational organizations all in support of National Pollinator Week, taking place June 16 to 22.
Presented in collaboration with the Florida Wildflower Foundation, this event highlights the essential roles that at-risk pollinator species like bees, butterflies and others play in our environment and how to conserve their declining numbers.
Attendees can meet scientists from the Florida Museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity to see live caterpillars and learn about their vital conservation efforts to help endangered butterfly species and plant habitats.
“With more than a fifth of native North American pollinators at risk of extinction, there’s no better way to start making a difference for these beneficial organisms than by planting a native plant in your yard or neighborhood,” said Jaret Daniels, curator of lepidoptera at the McGuire Center.
Each visitor can choose one plant from a variety of native species, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Options offered will include swamp milkweed, cutleaf coneflower, forked bluecurls, Darrow’s blueberry, crossvine, swamp rose mallow, pineland trailing lantana and prairie coneflower.
This year’s pollinator-themed beer is Lopsided Hazy IPA, an India pale ale named after lopsided Indiangrass, a host plant for the arogos skipper, an at-risk butterfly found in the Eastern United States. Ten percent of the proceeds will support imperiled butterfly recovery efforts in Florida.
This year’s Pollinator Palooza marks the 16th beer collaboration between the Florida Museum and First Magnitude. In addition to enjoying themed beers and picking up free plants, guests can also learn from organizations like the Florida Wildflower Foundation and Grow Hub about local efforts to protect pollinators.
The Florida Museum’s Plant for Pollinators initiative, encompassing these free native plant giveaways, was recognized by the Gainesville City Beautification Board for its outstanding efforts in improving the city’s urban environment.
“These events bring a range of community partners together to collectively elevate our reach and impact while creating a fun, social environment for people to learn and help make a difference,” Daniels said.
For more information on Pollinator Palooza, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/pollinator-palooza-2025.
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Writer: Kat Tran
Source: Jaret Daniels, jdaniels@flmnh.ufl.edu
Media contact: Kaitlin Gardiner, kgardiner@floridamuseum.ufl.edu