Arkansas Insect Fest Returns; Free Family Event Saturday, Sept. 12

The Arkansas Insect Festival is back this fall and includes the varying sizes and colors of crawling insects and arthropods kids love, but there are changes this year.

In the past, the every-other-year event was held during the week and primarily served as a field trip experience for students from area schools. This year, kids are still welcome, but with their families and friends. The family-friendly event gives visitors of all ages the chance to discover facts, learn the benefit and value of, and the beauty of insects through hands-on exhibits, live critters and expert guidance from local entomologists. 

Arkansas Insect Festival 2026 is a free event set for Saturday, Sept. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center (1335 W. Knapp Dr., Fayetteville). A sensory-friendly hour, for those wanting a quieter environment, is scheduled from 9-10 a.m.

Insect Fest is put on by faculty, students and staff in U of A's Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. The event is a service and outreach effort to introduce families to the world of insects.

"We are so excited to be hosting this event once again," said Ken Korth, department head. "Along with our fantastic community partners, we will share the importance of insects, agriculture and science in the daily lives of Arkansans. The festival will have a slightly different format this year, but the emphasis is still the same with cool displays, accurate information and fun."

Visitors will meet entomologists and plant pathologists from across the state; interact with live critters in a safe, educational setting; enjoy returning favorite activities, including live cockroach races; and learn how insects impact food production, the environment and everyday life.

Planned activities and exhibits include insect displays; live arthropod zoo; butterfly house; cockroach races (cheer for a Madagascar hissing roach); honeybee display (peek inside a live hive); Scott Family Amazeum hands‑on activities; aphids: plant vampires; bats and other insect‑eating animals (Arkansas State Parks); butterflies in the garden (Master Gardeners); insects of medical, veterinary, agricultural and forest importance; Northwest Arkansas Master Naturalists; insects in culture and the arts; microscope display; plant disease diagnostic clinic; and insect crafts and coloring.

Individuals and groups wanting to host an exhibit as a Community Partner Exhibitor or serve as a volunteer should complete the registration form.

Since 1993, the Arkansas Insect Festival has been a biennial event welcoming more than 3,000 community members to each event to explore the world of insects and arthropods. Most visitors spend one to two hours enjoying the full range of displays and activities.

The festival is hosted by the: Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the U of A System Division of Agriculture and Bumpers College.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram at @BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.