(Originally published June 4, 2014; updated with 2015 information.)
If you haven't had the pleasure previously, this weekend you can make the acquaintance of red admiral, gulf fritillary, zebra longwing and painted lady.These exotically named beings are butterflies that will be released by the hundreds at the 15th annual Flying Colors Butterfly Festival --- Saturday (11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) and Sunday (1:30 and 3:30 p.m.) at the Chattahoochee Nature Center.
But if you'd like a closer encounter, the nature center provides the opportunity to "get nose to proboscis" with more than 200 free-flying creatures in the tented walk-through Butterfly Encounter located near the beaver habitat.
Just about every area of the 127-acre riverside attraction busts out with butterfly-related activity during Flying Colors.
The fest includes the opportunity to create butterfly sidewalk art, shop for butterfly-approved plants, make butterfly crafts, participate in the Butterfly Costume Parade, take in live entertainment, shop at a garden and natural-products marketplace and chomp on food truck treats.
EVENT PREVIEW
Flying Colors Butterfly Festival
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. $12; free ages 2 and under. Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. (Additional parking at St. Francis Schools, 9375 Willeo Road.) 770-992-2055, www.chattnaturecenter.org.
