On April 5, nearly 5,000 people turned out to visit the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon, a San Diego suburb.
They were there to celebrate the Butterfly Festival, an event designed so visitors could see the Garden's new Dorcas E. Utter Memorial Butterfly Pavilion.
The new structure is named after one of the Garden's most beloved docents, and will be home to at least six species of butterflies, including those native to Southern California and those found in the area. The pavilion will also house plants that support butterflies.
Last Saturday, visitors were brought into the pavilion in groups of 10 to 12, and allowed between 15 and 20 minutes to look at the various butterfly species, which included cabbage whites, painted ladies, and monarchs.
Docents in the pavilion answered questions from adults, while children simply enjoyed the colorful insects, some using magnifying glasses to get a better look. Children also wore butterfly costumes, had their faces painted, and enjoyed story time. A parade, raffles, and live music completed the entertainment.
The pavilion will be open April through October, from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm, for people to visit the beautiful butterflies. Garden officials could work with brochure printers to create a mailer for area residents featuring the new exhibit and inviting them to visit the garden.
