HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – Pollinators in Your Yard, an opportunity to celebrate and support Harrisonburg’s commitment to being a pollinator-friendly city, is returning this weekend for its third installment following last year’s popular community event.

Hosted by Harrisonburg Public Works, the event will take place on Saturday, March 29, from 12:30 to 4 p.m. with educational talks in the Downtown Ice House building, and education stations with interactive activities at Drifters Café and Pale Fire Brewing Company. The event is friendly to all ages and admission is free.

Festivities will begin with a discussion on Harrisonburg’s pollinator-friendly initiatives led by City of Harrisonburg
staff, followed by presentations from two James Madison University educators on their work studying local pollinators. Additionally, a panel discussion will take place highlighting recent collaborative pollinator projects in Harrisonburg City Public Schools green spaces and throughout the community.

Attendees also can take part in the event’s BINGO card activity, visiting specific education stations hosted by local
businesses and organizations to learn how to support pollinators at home. Participants who complete their BINGO cards will be entered into a raffle to win prizes that will include pollinator photography, Heritage Oaks Golf Course gift certificates, gift cards from the Natural Garden, Plant Ridge and Valley Natives guides, coupons for a pollinator themed t-shirt from Sage Bird Ciderworks, pollinator plants, urban wood charcuterie board and more.

“Many collaborative efforts centered around supporting our local urban ecosystem through the planting of pollinator friendly species have taken place in the past year,” Harrisonburg Public Works Green Space Manager Jermey Harold explained in a news release. “We are excited to continue providing information and helpful materials to our community that help them participate in supporting local pollinators. This year’s event is a wonderful opportunity to share our partnerships with local educators and organizations and the good they are doing for our environment, the community and how they are enhancing the lives of our future environmental leaders.”

A schedule of events and list of participating organizations and activities may be found on the event webpage:
www.harrisonburgva.gov/pollinators-in-your-yard