Cincinnati Zoo is hosting a weeklong Monarch Festival next week, to celebrate and raise awareness for monarch butterflies.It's held as monarch butterflies make a 3,000-mile journey from Canada to Mexico to overwinter.The annual festival will include virtual celebrations on the zoo's social media pages and end with an in-person celebration on Oct. 2 when visitors are invited to take part in a migration simulation and other monarch-themed fun at the zoo.“The Cincinnati Zoo is a proud partner in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) North American Monarch program and a recognized leader in pollinator conservation efforts,” said Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard. “Our goals while the monarchs get ready for their cross-continent migration is to inspire action to help them on their way!!”Pollinator learning and activity stations will be set up in the zoo’s Vine Street Village from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and visitors can participate in a self-guided migration during that time. Monarch costumes are encouraged.The festival is free with zoo admission. Learn more at www.cincinnatizoo.org.