The EmilyAnn Theatre and Gardens saw a flurry of color this weekend, hosting its 23rd annual Butterfly Festival.
The family-friendly event was held at The EmilyAnn on Saturday, April 15. Despite a light drizzle, the festival kicked off with the hoisting of flags, prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem and a service that included the release of handraised butterflies by friends and families paying tribute to loved ones lost the previous year. Festival matriarch Ann Rollings was on hand to initiate the opening ceremonies.
The festival also saw the dedication of a new plaque depicting a Combat Cross, created and donated by the Lori Betz Art Foundry in Porter. The plaque was dedicated to The EmilyAnn with remarks by VFW representative Michael Lukowiak.
Visitors to the event enjoyed face painting, crafts, interactive games, nature activities, a butterfly train, live entertainment and the opportunity to glimpse Cinderella in her castle.
Every 30 minutes throughout the day, additional butterflies were released into the gardens by children with the help of onsite “butterfly wranglers.”
Visitors of all ages displayed a colorful array of butterfly gear and costumes to celebrate the event.
The result of many hours of volunteer effort, the annual festival is a major fundraiser for The EmilyAnn, a venue founded in 1998 to celebrate the life of Emily Ann Rolling. Its mission, according to its website, is “to reinvest in the dignity of the human spirit through the performing arts, the beauty of nature and community fellowship.”
The festival also heralded auditions for the summer musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” to be held in the Burdine Johnson Indoor Studio Theatre at the EmilyAnn Theatre and Gardens, July 7 through 9 and July 15 through 17. The festival also announced two theater summer camps in June for kids aged 7 to 11 and 8 through 14 years of age.
