About Mariposa Butterfly Festival
About Mariposa Butterfly Festival, Inc.
Mariposa Butterfly Festival, Inc. is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) organization (#85-2475621) that produces Mariposa's 2nd Largest annual event, The Mariposa Butterfly Festival, typically held the first weekend in May, as well as the Taste of Mariposa. These fundraising events make the Mariposa butterfly education program found in our local schools & Valley Children's Hospital possible.
Each year, Butterfly Festival volunteers, led by Terry Rozelle, deliver butterfly habitats and larvae to public and home classrooms with educational materials. Educators in our community build wonderful lesson plans around the butterfly metamorphosis activity in Math, Science, and Reading. When all of the butterflies have left their chrysalis, the butterflies are released, which is a great sight to see for our young learners. This has been a beloved educational program in our community that could not be possible without the passion of volunteers who order, prep, organize, deliver and pickup the habitats to public schools and home schools throughout our expansive county, as well as Valley Children's Hospital.
About the Mariposa Butterfly Festival Event
Typically held the first weekend in May, the Mariposa Butterfly Festival is a great kickoff to one of the most beautiful seasons in our area. The grass is green, wild flowers cover our County, and the great weather is a fantastic welcome mat for visitors from near and far. The Butterfly Festival starts with an iconic parade through historic, downtown Mariposa, where our streets are lined with a myriad of shops, stores, and some of the finest restaurants in the Sierras. The parade never disappoints, delivering a warm welcome to eventgoers and a great opportunity for our community to share what we love most about our town... its people and everything that makes Mariposa one the greatest places on Earth.
After the parade and some shopping in our delightful downtown stores, the festivities head to the Mariposa County Fairgrounds where festival goers will experience a wide variety of sites and celebrations including butterfly releases, music, food, a car show, a ferris wheel, rock climbing, pony rides, dancing, corn hole tournaments, a technology center, a movie premier, artisans, crafters, and 100 vendors line the fairway, lawn area and buildings A & B. There are 2 full days of activities at the Fairgrounds. Entrance to the event is free. Butterfly releases are free and this is a great event for family fun!
Saturday night is all about dancing! You may decide to head to town for a dining experience, or eat at the festival. Transportation back and forth is available. Our Saturday lineup of music is sure to entertain. You can dine on the lawn with a blanket and kick up your heels at the Amigo Stage with live music performances. See our musical lineup under the Event Festivities tab above.
Thank you to our volunteers
It takes months of planning and thousands of hours by a team of people who really roll up their sleeves to organize the events that fund our educational program and line our streets with thousands of visitors each and every year. Mariposa Butterfly Festival, nor the educational programs it funds, could be possible without our volunteers. This organization is driven by volunteers who share a love for our community, education, and are passionate about tourism in our area.
A special thank you to:
Bill Lowe, Michael Hall, Terry & Dave Rozelle, Michelle & James Kaus, Gail Dreifus, Ann & Ed Hart, Kimberly & Dale Vaughan, Linda & Valerie Appling, Tarah Eastwood, Anton Wilms, Meredy Wells, Rebecca Sullivan, Kris Casto, Cindy Iudice, Heidi and Art Richards, Scott Eastwood, Susan Vanderhorst, and many, many more!