Carson City buzzing about upcoming inaugural Pollinator Palooza Festival

The Nevada State Museum and Bee City USA Carson City are abuzz with plans for their “Pollinator Palooza” celebration June 21, 2025 in the capital city.

Beginning with a one-mile sidewalk parade of costumed pollinators along Carson Street at 10 a.m., activities will continue through the afternoon with sidewalk chalk art, educational and fun vendor fair, honey tasting, pollinator plant sale, yummy refreshments, and a curator’s corner to educate and inform young and old about how pollinators improve our lives.

Did you know that one out of every three bites of food we eat is made possible because of pollinators? Many other plants depend on pollinators to help them create seeds and reproduce.

The Xerces Society, a nationwide conservation organization dedicated to protecting invertebrates and their habitats, including insects, has documented significant declines in insect populations, including butterflies, bees, and other invertebrates.

Research shows that a significant portion of insect species, including bumble bees and butterflies, are either threatened or have declined in abundance and geographic range.

The goal of Carson’s Bee City USA is to work locally to encourage residents to appreciate and value pollinators, increase acres of pollinator habitat, and reduce use of chemicals that are detrimental to pollinators.

Palooza activities at the Nevada State Museum, 600 N. Carson Street, will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a grand prize raffle at 3 p.m. The west side of the museum will be a Pollinator Retail Fair, with vendors from lavender farms, plant outlets, and free arts and crafts for the kids. Indoors, the State Museum’s Curator’s Corner will offer educational presentations on pollinators from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Mid-day at the Carson Mall, 1313 S. Carson Street, will be abuzz with more fun. At 1 p.m. the stage adjacent to Plato’s Corner will feature a magician, at 1:30 p.m. everyone is welcome to join a Flashmob Bee Waggle Dance, sure to be a great video and a hit with the costumed crowd.

Retailers in the Carson Mall and along Carson Street are all encouraged to bee pollinator friendly, offer flower and bee and butterfly themed items, and get ready to hear lots of bee jokes.

Participating retailers will have decorated flower pots where people can drop off their Purple Pollen tokens for a chance to win a grand BEE PRIZE at 3 p.m. at the Nevada State Museum.

All day long, everyone is encouraged to learn about the value of pollinators, shake their butterfly wings and bumblebee butts, share bee jokes, explore downtown Carson City and learn a bit more about their neighbors and the bees and butterflies that are so important to our lives.

For the full event schedule visit: https://www.carsonnvmuseum.org/event/pollinator-palooza-at-the-nevada-state-museum/

Bee City USA and is an initiative of the Xerces Society. “Pollinator Palooza” is co-hosted by Bee City USA #76, Carson City’s citizen committee, and Nevada State Museum, with sponsorship assistance from Visit Carson City and Plato’s Closet.

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