Mercer County's Upcoming 2024 Insect Fest Creates A Buzz

MERCER COUNTY, NJ - Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County and Mercer County Executive Dan Benson will be hosting the 2024 Annual Insect Festival on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Mercer Educational Gardens, 431A Federal City Road, Hopewell Township. T

The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. rain or shine. Admission is free and on-site parking is available. Through fun, hands-on activities, visitors will learn about the importance of insects in our lives and how they create the biological foundation for all terrestrial ecosystems.

Attendees can view the demonstration gardens on-site and learn how insects interact with the different plants.

Visitors can also learn about various methods of composting. There will be activities designed to teach children to appreciate the diversity and essential roles of insects.

“I’m looking forward to another great family event from our partners at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County,” Benson said. “Insects get a bad rap, but our gardens and our ecosystems could never exist without them.”

This year’s festival will feature educational activities for attendees of all ages, including the popular ‘Bugs in Water,’ and a Q&A with our Rutgers Cooperative Extension Horticulturist, Justine Gray. Other highlights of the event are ‘Bugs Galore,’ ‘Native Bees,’ ‘Composting,’ ‘Crafts,’ ‘Carnivorous Plants,’ ‘Insect Hunt,’ ‘Build-a-Bug,’ ‘Butterflies,’ and new this year ‘Storytime.’