Cicada Festival: It Only Happens Once Every 17 Years

Once every 17-years billions of Cicadas emerge from their underground homes. These noisy but fascinating insects are a short-lived phenomenon that captures the imagination of anyone that comes into contact with them.

To celebrate and educate about this unique natural event, the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum will host a “Cicada Festival” on Saturday from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

The Arboretum’s Outreach Coordinator, Vera Figueiredo, will give a 60-minute presentation on the life-cycle of the periodical cicada and the benefits its emergence offers for our environment. Our educators will lead a hike through the arboretum woodlands to find cicadas in various stages of life. The program is for all ages and will include cicada themed crafts.  

The Cora Hartshorn Arboretum Cicada Festival.

• Saturday 4-5:30 p.m. Members: $10 Non-members: $15

Periodical cicadas are grouped into “broods” based on the calendar year when they emerge. The cicadas seen in our area this summer are from Brood II and will make their scheduled emergence in areas along the East Coast, from Georgia to Connecticut once soil temperatures have warmed to 64 degrees. Many local residents have already witnessed the arrival of these curious creatures.

Before or after festivities, stop by the Boxcar Bar & Grill for lunch or dinner and the restaurant will donate 10% of your bill back to the arboretum. Just mention the Cicada Festival when you order.  You can even get a cicada-theme drink created especially for the occasion.

At 7 p.m that evening the Boxcar Bar & Grill will feature live music from the local “Cats Will Play Band!”  The Boxcar Bar & Grill is located at the Short Hills Train Station on Chatham Road and open on Saturdays from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.