Cleveland Honeybee Festival - Our Story & Founder’s Message

Every meaningful festival begins with a story. What began as a family journey grew into something bigger.

The Cleveland Honeybee Festival began as a personal journey rooted in family, education, and a love for pollinators.

As a mother and beekeeper, I discovered honeybees alongside my son Max, who is on the autism spectrum. Beekeeping offered structure, curiosity, and shared learning—values that became the heart of our experience. Through membership and leadership in the Ocoee Region Beekeepers Association (ORBA), and inspiration from attending a honeybee festival in another state, the vision for a local festival began to take shape.

When Cleveland became a Bee City USA community, it felt like the right moment to bring that vision home. With encouragement from city leadership and strong partnerships, the Cleveland Honeybee Festival was created as a platform for education, conservation, and community connection.

Today, the festival brings together beekeepers, educators, universities, Master Gardeners, artists, and families to celebrate pollinators and inspire stewardship for generations to come.