What’s New for the Colorado Honeybee Festival at Cross Orchards

Western Colorado’s Honey Bee Festival is expanding for 2026, moving from the Palisade Town Plaza to the Grand Junction Cross Orchards Historic Site.

The festival is growing its mission to educate while welcoming even more families, gardeners, and local food lovers to celebrate the insects that are very important to the wood supply on the Western Slope. Here’s a look at what’s coming this April.

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Why Cross Orchards Changes the Festival Experience

Read More: How To Plan The Perfect Picnic In Palisade, Colorado

Mesa County knows that the Cross Orchards Historic Site gives an event space to breathe. The orchard and museum grounds provide additional room for vendors, demonstrations, and for people to move through the event. Organizers are planning for on-site beehives to help Cross Orchards promote honeybees year-round, beyond the one-day event.

Vendors, Music, Kids’ Activities, and More

When the Cross Orchards grounds open on Saturday, April 11, the event will include more than 100 local vendors. The 2026 Honeybee Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day, with a chance to hear educational talks from beekeepers and gardeners, while the kids enjoy the spelling bee and costume contest. The festival is free to attend, and the Cross Orchards train will offer free rides around the orchards. Cooking demonstrations showcasing honey will be ongoing throughout the day, too.

A Fun Way to Learn Why Bees Matter

The Colorado Honeybee Festival seems like a great fit for the Cross Orchards site, pairing an educational opportunity with family fun. The change of venue gives access to an even larger number of people who may not have been able to make it into downtown Palisade once the parking runs out. Once again, the event is April 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.