Past Summer Festivals

2023 Northeast Ohio Pollinator Summer Festival

DATE: Saturday, June 10th, 2023    TIME: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

LOCATION: Gateway Elementary School Auditorium & Outdoor Learning Center, 229 Gateway Avenue, Conneaut, Ohio 44030

 

The 2023 Northeast Ohio Pollinator Summer Festival was a day of pollinator education and celebration in beautiful Conneaut, Ohio.

  • Lara Roketenetz, Ph.D.  – “Backyard Gardening for Pollinators”

Lara is the Field Station Director at Martin Center for Field Studies and Environmental Education for the University of Akron

  • Jim McCormac—”Mysterious Moths—Growing the Darker Side of Butterflies”

Prolific writer, speaker and photographer, Jim worked for Ohio Dept of Natural Resources for 31 years in the field as a botanist and wildlife diversity project specialist. This talk is on his latest book.

 

Event’s Schedule

Morning Session ($15 Admission)

8:00-8:30 – Registration and Check-In  ($15 Admission if attending morning presentations.)

8:30-10:00 – Lara Roketenetz, Ph.D.  – “Backyard Gardening for Pollinators”

10-10:30 – Break

10:30-12:00 – Jim McCormac—”Mysterious Moths—Growing the Darker Side of Butterflies”

Afternoon Session (Free to attend)

12:00 to 4:00 – Celebration of pollinators at the Outdoor Learning Center

  • Native Plant Vendors – Over 10 of Ohio’s best nurseries will be selling quality trees, shrubs, and perennials
  • Nature Organizations and Exhibitors promoting their organizations
  • Guided Tours of the award-winning Outdoor Learning Center Butterfly & Pollinator Garden
  • Guided Hikes led by the area’s finest naturalists
  • Kids Activities led by local non-profit service groups
  • Ashtabula County Soil & Water
  • Musical Groups
  • Food Trucks will be available for lunch

2022 Northeast Ohio Pollinator Summer Festival

DATE: Saturday, June 25th, 2022    TIME: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

LOCATION: Gateway Elementary School Auditorium & Outdoor Learning Center, 229 Gateway Avenue, Conneaut, Ohio 44030

The 2022 Northeast Ohio Pollinator Summer Festival was a day of pollinator education and celebration in beautiful Conneaut, Ohio.  The all-day pollinator focused event featured a variety of speakers, tours, and vendors.  The morning sessions featured two speakers, Michele Colopy, Executive Director and co-founder of LEAD for Pollinators, and Debra Knapke, author, public speaker and garden consultant known as “The Garden Sage”. The afternoon session offered many different activities, learning opportunities, networking, and vendors. The afternoon included Native Plant Vendors, Nature Organizations, Guided Tours, Guided Hikes, Kids Activities, Tree Planting demos, Native Tree Giveaways, Musical performances from The Nurseryman Band & Pickle Milk, and local Food Trucks!

Event’s Schedule

Morning Session ($10 Admission)

8:00-8:30 – Registration and Check-In  $10 Admission if attending morning presentations.

8:30-10:00 – Michele Colopy, Executive Director and co-founder of LEAD for Pollinators,

‘Understanding the Pollinator Crisis and How You Can Help’

From the four “p’s” impacting honeybee health to deciphering fact from fiction, you will learn how you can take action to support managed and native pollinators vital to a sustainable agricultural and environmental landscape.

10-10:30 – Break

10:30-12:00 – Debra Knapke, author, public speaker and garden consultant known as “The Garden Sage,”

Gardening for Pollinators by Season’

Our garden pollinators – bees, butterflies, and more – are threatened on many fronts. We know that they only thrive if they have a constant food source: the right flowers at the right times. Debra will offer strategies to help you give pollinators what they need to survive and flourish.

Afternoon Session (Free to attend)

12:00 to 4:00 – Celebration of pollinators at the Outdoor Learning Center

  • Native Plant Vendors – Over 10 of Ohio’s best nurseries will be selling quality trees, shrubs, and perennials
  • Nature Organizations and Exhibitors promoting their organizations
  • Guided Tours of the award-winning Outdoor Learning Center Butterfly & Pollinator Garden
  • Guided Hikes led by the area’s finest naturalists
  • Kids Activities led by local non-profit service groups
  • Tree Planting Demonstration for homeowners
  • Native tree giveaway courtesy Ashtabula County Soil & Water
  • Musical Groups including The Nurseryman Band & Pickle Milk
  • Food Trucks will be available for lunch