LAKE PLACID — The Adirondack Pollinator Festival & Native Plant Sale returns on Saturday, June 7, at the Uihlein Farm Greenhouse in Lake Placid.
The main festival activities will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, while the plant sale will continue until 2 p.m. — unless all plants sell out earlier.
This one-of-a-kind event brings together native plant lovers, pollinator advocates, and curious community members for a celebration of pollinator conservation. The festival offers a morning of fun and learning, including interactive exhibits, gardening resources, and youth activities designed to engage the whole family.
“The festival is a chance to connect people with the native plants and practices that can truly make a difference for pollinators,” Sawyer Bailey, AdkAction executive director, said.
“Everyone leaves inspired, and the plants they take home create lasting impact across our region.”
Highlights of this year’s event include two free educational workshops led by the Adirondack Pollinator Project’s Lisa Salamon: “Native Plants 101: Getting Started with Pollinator Gardening” at 10 a.m. and “De-Lawning: Lawn Alternatives for Biodiversity” at 11 a.m. Space for the workshops is limited, and attendees are encouraged to sign up in advance at AdkAction.org/plantsale.
Young visitors can enjoy hands-on activities led by Mountain Lake PBS, and AdkAction will offer a pollinator scavenger hunt for kids.
The first 50 children to complete the scavenger hunt will receive a special prize: a pair of wearable butterfly wings to take home and continue their pollinator journey.
At the heart of the festival is AdkAction’s Native Plant Sale, featuring more than 2,000 pesticide-free, pollinator-friendly plants grown by volunteers and staff in the Uihlein Greenhouse.
Every plant is carefully sourced and grown without the use of neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides harmful to pollinators. Pre-ordering plants is recommended to ensure availability and can be done now at AdkAction.org/plantsale.
Pre-ordered plants may be picked up until 2 p.m. or by special arrangement on another nearby date.
AdkAction’s Adirondack Pollinator Project grew out of a monarch butterfly conservation initiative launched by AdkAction in 2011, and has since expanded into a regional movement to support a wide range of pollinators and their habitats.
The project has supported educational programming, installed community pollinator gardens, distributed learning materials through Adirondack libraries, and brought guest experts to the region to help grow a culture of conservation.