10th Annual Florida Bat Festival
The Annual Florida Bat Festival is an opportunity for attendees to view giant fruit bats, tour the conservancy grounds and enjoy the great outdoors while learning about how fruit bats benefit environments and ecosystems worldwide. The 2013 festival welcomed over 4,300 guests and attendance is expected to increase this year. The conservancy is not open to the general public on a regular basis, so this event is a rare opportunity for wildlife lovers to see our bats up-close. The bats at Lubee boast wingspans of up to 6 feet across. Guests will get to observe how the bats interact with each other, play with their toys and eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, a truly unique sight. Food and refreshments, and ñbattyî merchandise (including bat houses) will be available for purchase at the event. Also, other local environmental organizations will offer educational materials at their booths spread across the beautiful grounds of the conservancy. The festival is a fun, relaxing and recreational experience for the whole family with free activities, including bat-themed crafts and games for kids, educational exhibits, bouncy huts provided by Space Walk and presentations by bat experts. All proceeds of the festival help support bat conservation and education programs. The festival is held at Lubee Bat Conservancy, a 110-acre ranch, located at 1309 N.W. 192nd Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32609. Admission is free, although donations are encouraged. For more information, please email us at batfest@lubee.org.