Bee City USA: Decatur GA

A passion for beeswax and the craft of hand making candles is the foundation of Big Dipper Wax Works . The healthful benefits of beeswax and pure essential oils that our candles are created from, combined with the exceptional skills our artisans offer, is what makes us unique and separates us from other candle companies. Big Dipper supports local, responsible beekeepers by not only buying their product, but also by supporting a variety of education, research, and grassroots organizations that are working to sustain a healthy beekeeping community. Learn more at:
https://www.bigdipperwaxworks.com

SAVE THE DATE! 2026 Beecatur Pollinator Festival, Saturday, June 27, 10 am to 2 pm, Harmony Park, Oakhurst, Decatur. Our free, family-friendly festival celebrates all things pollinator and pollinator adjacent — bees, butterflies, native plants, trees, the environment, sustainability, etc. Exhibitors will include many local environmental organizations and native plant nurseries. Plus FREE faceprinting for kids, King of Pops, mead for grownups, music and more!! Our 2026 festival will be held at a NEW LOCATION in Harmony Park in Decatur’s Oakhurst neighborhood.Thank you to our generous financial sponsors who make this event possible: Big Dipper Wax Works, Open Air Plant Design Studio, Woods Keeper Invasive Plant Removal, Intown Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society, B Buckets, Beech Hollow Wildflower Farm, Cottage Garden Natives, and Nearly Native Nursery/Native Oasis Botanical Garden.

If you garden for pollinators, there’s a good chance you already know to reduce your own pesticide use as much as possible. However, your neighbors might not be on the same page yet.

How to Talk to Your Neighbors About Pesticides It can feel difficult to convince others to use fewer pesticides, especially if they are not already interested in conservation. We have advice to navigate the conversation!

Mark your calendars for this celebration of pollinators in Avondale Estates!
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1456030263232033&set=a.307432201425184

Come celebrate our ecosystem and the pollinators that keep it thriving!
🗓️ Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to noon.

The City is partnering with Roots Down to spread awareness about our tiny but mighty pollinators! Event will be held at the Avondale Estates Town Green, open to all.

🌸 Grab a “Pollinator Passport” to explore hands-on stations where you can create bee baths and native wildflower seed bombs.

🐝 Connect with local partners to learn why Avondale Estates is a proud Bee City USA.

✅ Once you complete your passport, you’ll earn a free native seed kit to take home.

Let’s work together to make our community a vibrant sanctuary for pollinators. 💛

THURSDAY NIGHT! Tickets Still Available:
In celebration of Earth Week, Monarchs Across Georgia is hosting a special screening of The Extraordinary Caterpillar, a beautifully shot 60-minute documentary that reveals the vital—and often overlooked – role caterpillars play in our ecosystems. Watch the trailer here! https://vimeo.com/1117213704

DATE: Thursday, April 23, 2026
TIME: 7 - 8 PM (Doors will open at 6:30 PM)
LOCATION: Agnes Scott College, Campbell Hall, Graves Auditorium, 141 East College Avenue, Decatur, GA, 30030
Free visitor parking is available at the West Parking Facility, 137 S. McDonough Street. CAMPUS MAP

TICKET PRICING: $15

Purchase tickets here:
https://www.eealliance.org/caterpillarticket.html

Stop by Beecatur’s booth at City of Decatur / Legacy Park Community Day - Earth Day Festival this Saturday, April 18 2026, 11am - 2pm. Visitors will learn, share knowledge, connect with green organizations and community builders, and discover kindred spirits to help on their journey to becoming a greener, more connected Decatur resident.

Volunteers are essential to helping this event run smoothly. Want to lend a hand? Use the links below:

April 17 - Community Day and Earth Day Festival Preparation
https://volunteer.handsonatlanta.org/opportunities/AScQPWHRJg

April 18 - Community Day and Earth Day Event Assistance
https://volunteer.handsonatlanta.org/opportunities/SbNaFriO8u

2026 Beecatur Pollinator Festival seeks business sponsors! This year's festival will be held on Saturday, June 27, 10 am - 2 pm. A celebration of all things bees, butterflies, birds, trees, and native plants, it will feature an array of local environmental organizations.

But presenting this fun, FREE, annual event requires funding. We can't do it without your generous financial support. Festival sponsorship opportunities are now available.

Beecatur's annual Pollinator Festival is the perfect platform for businesses wanting to promote their brand to our appreciative audience. This year’s event, to be held in Oakhurst’s Harmony Park, will also mark Beecatur’s tenth anniversary as a Bee City USA® affiliate.

Interested in becoming a festival sponsor? See details at:
https://www.beecaturga.com/sponsor-npw2026

Interested in supporting Beecatur all year long? Bee-come a sustaining sponsor. See details at:
https://www.beecaturga.com/business-sponsors

On Friday, 4/3, at 1 pm, Beecatur chair Peter Helfrich will present a program titled “Bee-Yond Honey Bees: Meet Your Native Bees” at Wylde Center’s Oakhurst Garden. The event is one of a series of FREE Garden Talks presented as part of Wylde Center’s Spring Plant Sale Festival, taking place April 3 and 4. RSVP at: https://wylde-center-online-shop.myshopify.com/collections/wylde-center-garden-talks

Garden Talk Schedule:

Friday, April 3
• 10 AM Growing Your First Garden
• 11 AM Winter Sowing-Starting Seed with Milk Jugs
• 12 PM Raised Bed Gardening 101
• 1 PM Bee-yond Honey Bees, Meet Your Native Bees
• 2 PM Simple Seasonal Cooking: A Demonstration

Saturday, April 4
• 10 AM Raised Bed Gardening 101
• 11 AM 10 Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers for a Thriving Summer Garden
• 12 PM Favorite Perennials that Thrive in GA
• 1 PM From Privet to PawPaw
• 2 PM Simple Seasonal Cooking: A Demonstration

Wylde Center's Spring Plant Sale Festival opens to the public on Friday, April 3 at 9 AM. where you will find a beautiful selection of herbs, perennials, native plants, summer veggies, and flowering annuals.

Want first dibs on all the best plants? Wylde Center members can attend the Plant Sale Member night on Thursday, April 2, from 6-8 PM. Make a donation or renew your support to attend: https://www.wyldecenter.org/?form=WCDONATE

From 9 AM – 4 PM on both Friday and Saturday, Wylde Center will be holding a series of presentations on the hour and will range in topics from starting your first veggie garden, native plants and pollinators, to maximizing nutrition with your garden harvest. On Friday, at 1 pm, Beecatur chair Peter Helfrich will present a program titled Bee-Yond Honey Bees: Meet Your Native Bees. The Garden Talks are FREE to attend.

Friday, April 3
• 10 AM Growing Your First Garden
• 11 AM Winter Sowing-Starting Seed with Milk Jugs
• 12 PM Raised Bed Gardening 101
• 1 PM Bee-yond Honey Bees, Meet Your Native Bees
• 2 PM Simple Seasonal Cooking: A Demonstration

Saturday, April 4
• 10 AM Raised Bed Gardening 101
• 11 AM 10 Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers for a Thriving Summer Garden
• 12 PM Favorite Perennials that Thrive in GA
• 1 PM From Privet to PawPaw
• 2 PM Simple Seasonal Cooking: A Demonstration

These presentations are FREE, but please let Wylde Center know you are coming by RSVP'ing for the programs you’d like to attend.
https://wylde-center-online-shop.myshopify.com/collections/wylde-center-garden-talks

Location:
Oakhurst Garden
435 Oakview Rd.
Decatur, GA 30030