On Saturday, May 17, 2025, the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in downtown Hilo will host a celebration of World Bee Day, bringing together beekeepers, educators, families, and conservationists to honor the indispensable role of bees in our ecosystems and agriculture. This event, organized by Bird and Bee Hawaii Animal Sanctuary and Bird and Bee Hawaii, a locally owned beekeeping supply and education business based in Honoka‘a, aims to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators and promote sustainable practices to protect them. The main event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., followed by an after-party from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

This year’s World Bee Day celebration will feature a stellar lineup of speakers and vendors. Representatives from Seib’s Hoosier Honey will offer talks on strategies for upscaling apiaries and boosting farm market sales—essential knowledge for small business beekeepers looking to expand. David Thomas of Paradise Queens, one of East Hawaii’s premier queen breeders, will lead an educational session on queen rearing specific to Hawaii’s climate and challenges. Guests can also enjoy honey tastings, beeswax candle-making, painting activities, and local live music throughout the day.

The afternoon mead-making session invites adults to learn the art of fermenting honey into traditional honey wine, followed by a celebratory gathering with light refreshments and networking. With growing threats to global pollinator populations, Hawaii’s World Bee Day event fosters local collaboration and inspires the next generation of bee stewards. For beekeepers, educators, and bee lovers alike, this is an event not to be missed.

World Bee Day is an international observance designated by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2017, following a proposal by Slovenia and the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association. Celebrated annually on May 20, the date marks the birthday of Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern apiculture from Slovenia. The day aims to raise awareness about the essential role of bees and other pollinators in maintaining the health of people and the planet, and the many challenges they face today. It provides an opportunity for governments, organizations, and civil society to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats, improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping. ([Portal GOV.SI][1], [FAOHome][2])