Purdue’s annual Spring Fest event is virtual for 2021 with online events and activities available throughout the week of April 12-17. Purdue’s College of Agriculture welcomes people of all ages to experience Purdue Spring Fest from their home and backyards. Normally held in-person on Purdue University’s campus, the annual event will begin Monday, April 12, with online events and activities available throughout the week.
Students, faculty and staff from several departments and Purdue Extension will offer fun, interactive activities ranging from food science experiments to a scavenger hunt. All events and activities are free, but some require preregistration.
For more information, visit the Spring Fest website and follow @PurdueAg on Facebook and Twitter.
Digital Bug Bowl:
The Department of Entomology will host a weeklong series of events in celebration of the 30th Bug Bowl. Join entomology experts for live events and get creative anytime with at-home crafts.
* Monday: Cicada Day – Get your cicada questions answered by an expert at 10 a.m. EDT and learn how to make cicada origami.
* Tuesday: Community Science Day – Learn how to be a scientist in your backyard by exploring caterpillars and ticks.
* Wednesday: The Magic Insect Museum – Discover the history of entomology and how you can contribute to its future. Take a tour of the Purdue Entomology Museum and learn how to collect insects.
* Thursday: Spider Day – Take a spider personality quiz and dive deeper with Arachnologist Sebastian Echeverri at 1 p.m. EDT.
* Friday: Metamorphosis – Visit The Caterpillar Lab at 10 a.m. EDT and make some fun caterpillar crafts.
* Saturday: Bug Yoga and Bug Crafts – Move like a bug and create insect masks and bling.
“This is the 30th Bug Bowl and we weren’t about to let folks have a year without bugs! Each day we have identified a lesson plan or craft. We also planned many ‘anytime’ activities so you can get involved before, during and after the Bug Bowl,” said Gwen Pearson, Purdue entomology outreach coordinator.
The complete 2021 Digital Bug Bowl schedule of events can be found online. Some events require preregistration. All live events also will be recorded for viewing at your convenience. Use #BugBowl30 to share crafts on social media.
Virtual Ag+STEM Camp:
New this year, the Purdue Agriculture PK-12 Council will offer the Virtual Ag+STEM Camp. Graduate students enrolled in Teaching STEM Through Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, co-taught by Neil Knobloch, agricultural sciences education and communication (ASEC) professor, and Hui-Hui Wang, ASEC assistant professor, developed virtual lessons 45 minutes in length that they will teach throughout the week.
From learning about pollinators and the water cycle to exploring how engineering and technology are used to package hamburgers, K-12 students and families are invited to register for one or all of the seven lessons.
“It is exciting to see how our students have stepped up to this challenge to create virtual Ag+STEM lessons. The lessons are going to be a fun way to continue the land-grant tradition of PK-12 engagement the community knows as Spring Fest,” Knobloch said.
Find more information and register for the weeklong lineup of Ag+STEM activities online by this Friday, April 9.
Horticulture Plant Sale:
The Purdue Horticulture Society will host an online plant sale in place of their annual plant sale at Spring Fest. Plants should be purchased online in advance with a drive-thru pickup planned for April 17-18. Purchase your plants at this link and sign up for a pickup slot here. Follow @PurdueHorticulturalSociety on Facebook for online sale and pick up information.
