PETERBOROUGH-The fourth annual Monarch Festival and Race is returning to Millennium Park in Peterborough with a message: collective action is making a difference.
This year’s event arrives on the heels of positive global news for monarch butterflies.
Recent reports from conservation scientists show that the eastern monarch population has increased by approximately 64% over the past year, marking one of the most significant rebounds in nearly a decade. While experts caution that long-term threats remain, the increase signals that conservation efforts – habitat restoration, tree planting, and grassroots awareness – are working.
The Monarch Festival and Race, a community-led initiative based in Peterborough and hosted by the Monarch Ultra, is part of that growing movement. A Celebration of Hope, Action, and Community Taking place on Saturday, September 19, the event brings together runners, families, artists, and environmental advocates for a day of celebration and purpose. Participants can choose between a 10-kilometre race and a 1-kilometre kids fun run, with monarch-inspired costumes encouraged to transform the waterfront into a moving display of orange and black.
More than just a race, the Monarch Ultra has become a grassroots movement, one that blends endurance, creativity, and environmental advocacy. This year’s event will serve as a fundraiser for monarch conservation efforts in partnership with the non-profit Nación Verde, supporting reforestation initiatives in Mexico’s Cerro Pelón Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, a critical overwintering site for migrating monarchs.
Monarch butterflies undertake one of the most extraordinary migrations on Earth, traveling thousands of kilometres from Canada to central Mexico each year. Yet habitat loss, pesticide-use, and climate change have caused dramatic population declines over recent decades according to officials.
The recent population increase, while promising, does not erase those challenges. Scientists emphasize that monarch populations still remain far below historic levels and require sustained conservation efforts to ensure long-term survival.
“This moment is both hopeful and urgent,” says Monarch Ultra organizer Carlotta James. “We’re seeing signs that our collective efforts are making an impact but it also shows how important it is to keep going.”
Over the past seven years, Monarch Ultra has grown into a community-led initiative that extends far beyond race day. Through international relay runs, documentary screenings, art installations, monarch festivals, and grassroots fundraisers, the organization has raised nearly $40,000 for conservation efforts across North America.
Beneficiaries have included Nación Verde, Butterflies and Their People, Camp Kawartha, and Monarch City USA – organizations working at the frontlines of pollinator protection and environmental education.
By combining sport with storytelling and advocacy, the event inspires participants to become ambassadors for pollinators and the ecosystems they sustain. Whether you’re an experienced runner or simply passionate about protecting nature, the Monarch Ultra offers a chance to make a tangible impact.
“Running for me has always been about about connection,” continues Carlotta James. “Connection to the land, to each other, and to the species we share this planet with. Monarch butterflies are a symbol of that connection, and this event is our way of protecting it.”
The Monarch Ultra began as an international relay run to follow the monarch migration from Peterborough, Ontario to the Sierra Madre Mountains in central Mexico, a total distance of 4,300 kilometres covered by ultra runners over seven weeks in the fall of 2019. The group has since inspired a broader movement that connects athleticism with ecological responsibility. The festival carries that spirit forward, transforming it into an inclusive event where everyone can participate, learn, and contribute.
The event will feature a wide range of activities designed to engage all ages and interests, including: – A 10km and 1km fundraiser race to raise awareness and funds for non-profit Nación Verde – Educational workshops on monarch conservation and how to build pollinator-friendly gardens – Family-friendly programming, including arts & crafts, games, piñatas, and interactive exhibits – Native plant and milkweed giveaways to support habitat restoration at home – Monarch butterfly tagging activities to track fall migration of monarchs – Local vendors, live music, and environmental organizations sharing resources and initiatives.
Event Details Location: Millennium Park, Peterborough, Ontario Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026 Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm
For more information, please visit: https://www.themonarchultra.com/peterborough.html.
To register for the race or to support monarch conservation efforts, please visit: https:// raceroster.com/events/2026/117030/monarch-ultra-10km.
