Hey Western Oklahoma! Okies for Monarchs is coming to you on Saturday, May 2 to ask for your help to save the monarchs and our other pollinator friends! We will be in Elk City at the Arrowhead Center from 12 pm to 4 pm with native wildflowers and milkweed for sale, as well as a park full of family-friendly activities with our partners. We’ll also have experts on hand to answer your questions and provide presentations that are full of helpful knowledge and useful tips for your monarch-saving adventures! And not only that, we’ll also have FREE MILKWEED plugs* at the Okies for Monarchs booth.
Getting excited?! So are we! We can hardly wait to see you at this event supported by our friends at Keep Oklahoma Beautiful.
Learn about the native wildflowers of Route 66!
- Shop native plants from Oklahoma vendors, including Sanctuary Gardens and Wild Roots
- Grab FREE* starter milkweed plants and wildflower seed packets from Okies for Monarchs
- Pick up the central/western regional seed mix and other native seeds from Johnston Seed Company
- Enjoy hands-on activities for all ages with Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, Johnston Seed Company, Oklahoma Biological Survey, and North Fork of Red River Conservation District
- Browse monarch-themed merchandise and habitat signs from Okies for Monarchs
- Watch the installation of a 100 sq ft demonstration pollinator habitat
- Ask questions and learn from local experts through presentations on monarchs, milkweed, and pollinator habitats
PRESENTATIONS:
🦋 12:30 PM – Why is OK so Important for Monarchs? From their migration to milkweed and roadside wildflowers, get a crash course in Monarch 101 with Vonceil Harmon — who’s logged countless miles working with monarchs and milkweed along Oklahoma’s highway roadsides!
🌾 1:00 PM – Sowing for Monarchs in Pastures Learn how to plant and manage milkweed and native wildflowers in pastures while coexisting with livestock, with insights from Brian Weathers of Johnston Seed Company.
🌻 1:30 PM – What to Plant and How to Build It’s time to get our hands dirty! Jamie Mansell will walk us through the do’s and don’ts of helping save the monarchs. She’s turned her own yard into a thriving pollinator habitat and meadow—and she’s ready to show you how.
🌸 2:00 PM – Growing Community Through Habitat Megan Malone of Keep Oklahoma Beautiful shares how Elk City’s Route 66 grant grew a small garden into a thriving festival—showing how habitat creation builds community and civic pride. Encouraging audiences that any habitat matters and offering resources to get started.
🌱 2:30 PM – Milkweed & MythBusters Get ready for an engaging, myth-busting session with Katie Hawk, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Monarch Society! With over a decade in pollinator conservation, Katie will tackle common milkweed misconceptions and share practical tips to help monarchs.
Route 66 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival | 12 PM – 4 PM | Saturday, May 2
Arrowhead Center
600 Western Dr.
Elk City, OK 73644
Funding Support Provided By
