Families and young pollinator enthusiasts gathered at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm in Falmouth on Saturday for the 10th annual Pollinator Parade. With young children and adults dressed as butterflies, bats, bumblebees and beekeepers, the event marked a decade of raising awareness of pollinators critical to the local environment.

“We had big hope to make it extra special, and the rain sure made it memorable,” said Molly Woodring, Maine Audubon associate director of education, who led the event.

With 150 attendees donning raincoats and wings, the event had crafts, live music and a procession of the pollinators braving the drizzle.

The pregnancy and early childhood organization Birth Roots and Maine Audubon have partnered on the event since 2015 to raise awareness about the vulnerability of pollinators, which are critical to ecosystem health and food systems.

“Kids are drawn to flowers and watching insects, it all happens right at their level. It’s something they can really easily observe,” said Woodring.

“It’s also something that families can have a direct positive impact on, so they can plant the native plants for caterpillars and pollinators in their neighborhoods,” she said.

Many activities focused on ways that families can support pollinator habitat. Organizers shared tips for planting more pollinator-friendly native plant species in yards and gardens, guidance on reducing pesticide use, and distributed seeds and milkweed plants for attendees to plant at home.

The event was inspired by festivals in Mexico that honor the monarch butterflies’ arrival each fall, the end of a 3,000-mile migration that the butterflies have journeyed for an estimated 20,000 years.

“The Pollinator Parade is more than a picnic, parade, or dance party — it’s a call to action,” said Birth Roots’ co-founder Leah Deragon in a news release.

“We hope to capture the public’s imagination and inspire hearts and minds to take steps toward preserving pollinators for our grandchildren’s grandchildren,” Deragon said.