HOLDEN -- A beloved butterfly festival drew dozens of families to the Fields Pond Audubon Center on Saturday.

It's an event the center has hosted for several years to let families get familiar with their local pollinators. While there's an emphasis on fun, with a butterfly parade, face-painting and more, the event also features education.

Organizers say Maine's monarch butterfly population has ticked down over the years and they hope to teach the next generation to take care of the environment and ecosystem.

"One of the things that we really need to appreciate is that we share this planet with our wildlife community and it's so important that we do that in a great way, and add that stewardship to our youth and everyone in our community," shared Education Manager Melissa Gallagher.

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