HENRYVILLE — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Forestry has announced a brand new community event designed to celebrate the critical role pollinators play in our ecosystem.
Titled Bloom & Buzz: A Pollinator Party, the free, family-friendly event will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT at the Clark State Forest Ballfield Shelter, located at P.O. Box 119 in Henryville.
The celebration combines environmental education with interactive wilderness activities to highlight the bees, butterflies, and other organisms that keep Indiana’s flora thriving.
Hands-On Activities, Foraged Treats, and Local Goods
The festival grounds will host a variety of interactive booths and sensory experiences aimed at guests of all ages. Attendees can look forward to:
- Expert Conservation Booths: Educational displays curated by professional conservationists and the Purdue Extension Master Gardeners.
- Local Tastings: Free samplings of locally harvested honey, herbal teas, and unique foraged treats sourced directly from the region.
- Crafts & Sustainability: Dedicated areas for nature-based crafting and seed planting to help families start their own pollinator gardens at home.
- Outdoor Adventures: Self-guided recreation opportunities scattered throughout the park grounds, including forest geocaching.
Join the All-Day Forest ‘BioBlitz’
A central pillar of the event is a public-led scientific endeavor known as a BioBlitz.
During a BioBlitz, everyday citizens work alongside naturalists to find, identify, and document as many distinct living organisms as possible within the park boundaries in a single day—including local plants, insects, mammals, amphibians, and fungi.
How to Participate in the Survey:
- Digital Tracking: Discoveries will be uploaded and logged using the iNaturalist app, a community-science platform available for free on smartphones and tablets.
- Guided Survey Hike: While the biological survey runs all day, a special guided BioBlitz hike will depart the shelter area at 11:00 a.m. Participants are encouraged to download the iNaturalist app before arriving. For setup instructions or to fill out the event’s voluntary interest form, interested individuals can email Racheal Stenger through the DNR portal.
For map directions, program schedules, or general inquiries, contact the Clark State Forest main office at 812-294-4306, email ClarkSF@dnr.IN.gov, or visit the official forest hub at on.IN.gov/clarksf.
