TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge announced on Thursday that the Butterfly Festival scheduled for Oct. 25 has been canceled. <\/p>\n
The nonprofit cited the ongoing federal government shutdown as the reason for the cancellation. <\/p>\n
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s website, the event was intended to showcase the migration of monarch butterflies as they travel south through the Gulf Coast.<\/p>\n
The refuge, which is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has closed the visitor center, education building, nature store and the historic lighthouse keepers\u2019 quarters until further notice amid the government shutdown.<\/p>\n
The Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge webpage states that the refuge gates will be open between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.<\/p>\n
Visitors can check the Friends of St. Mark\u2019s Wildlife Refuge\u00a0website<\/a>\u00a0for the latest updates on operations and event scheduling.<\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0YouTube<\/a>,\u00a0Nextdoor<\/a>\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0(Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error?\u00a0Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n