“Welcome Back Monarch” Butterfly Festival 2026 (Santa Cruz)
Natural Bridges State Beach | 2531 W Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Event Details
Welcome Back Monarch Festival is a free family event at Natural Bridges State Beach featuring crafts, hands-on learning, a parade, story time, games, live music, food trucks, hand-cranked pumpkin ice cream, and items for sale. The 2026 festival also includes a screening of “Creating the West Marin Monarch Sanctuary,” a monarch photo exhibit by Elizabeth Weber, and a talk by Julia Butterfly Hill. Free cake is listed on the event flyer; parking costs $10.
The Monarchs return every year around mid October and typically stay for 3-4 months.
Every fall and winter, Natural Bridges State Beach welcomes back the monarchs to their winter habitat in the eucalyptus grove, the only State Monarch Preserve in California. Starting in early to mid-October, the black and orange beauties start trickling in from colder climates to enjoy our moderate coastal weather. Scientifically speaking, monarchs are tropical butterflies and at no point in their life cycle – egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly – can they freeze, so they move with the warmer weather while migrating south.
Natural Bridges State Beach is California’s only state park designated as a monarch preserve, featuring a protected canyon eucalyptus grove and an accessible 0.4-mile trail.
Original Event Description:
_Save the date for this fun family event at Natural Bridges State Beach, 2531 W Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 on Sunday October 11, 2026 from 11-4. Join us for crafts, food trucks, goodies for sale, hand cranked pumpkin ice cream, live music, hands-on learning and more.
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Special additions this year are a screening of “Creating the West Marin Monarch Sanctuary”, a Monarch photo exhibit by Elizabeth Weber and a speech by Julia Butterfly Hill.
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For questions please email naturalbridges@ports-ca.us or call 831-423-0871.
This event is free, parking is $10 and supports the park._Text extracted from provided image:
Welcome Back Monarch Festival
NATURAL BRIDGES STATE BEACH
Sunday October 11th, 11am-4pm
Art
Cookies
Pumpkin Ice Cream
Story Time
Parade
Crafts
Free Cake
Hand Painting
Skit
Live Music
Food
Activities
Games
Free event, $10
parking supports
the park
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
SINCE 1864
Friends
Santa Cruz
State Parks
@santacruzstatebeaches
Santa Cruz State Beaches
Official Instagram account for California State Parks in coastal Santa Cruz County, including Natural Bridges, Seacliff, New Brighton, and more!
linktr.ee/santacruzcastateparks
Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.
Cost: FREE*
