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A swarm of illuminated bees is coming to West Village A swarm of illuminated bees is coming to West Village A swarm of illuminated bees is coming to West Village A swarm of illuminated bees is coming to West Village A swarm of illuminated bees is coming to West Village A swarm of illuminated bees is coming to West Village

A swarm of illuminated bees is coming to West Village

Whether it’s the humble European honey bee, the hard-working Australian native bee or their other high-flying friends, bees are extremely vital for the preservation of our fragile ecosystem. In recognition of the importance of bees and their role in keeping our planet healthy, our favourite little honey-makers and super-important pollinators have a national day of recognition – World Bee Day. This year's World Bee Day falls on Friday May 20 and to celebrate, West Village is welcoming a bee-centric installation into its midst from acclaimed Australian visual-design masterminds Dead Puppet Society. On top of this, the precinct is hosting an un-bee-lievable selection of free activities throughout May. Here’s all of the buzz-worthy news …


The team at West Village believes that one day dedicated to the bees isn’t quite enough. The precinct is home to seven bee hives, so it makes sense that the precinct would be the perfect spot to host a whole month of celebrations. The first high-flying happening is the arrival of Swarm, Dead Puppet Society’s sprawling, open-air installation combining hand-crafted sculpture with dazzling technological effects. Flying into West Village’s Mollison Park from May 6–29, the eye-catching work features over two thousand miniature bee sculptures, each one laser-cut from polished brass and assembled by hand. Each bee has individually posed legs, antennae and wings, and can be found artfully arranged amongst West Village’s lush garden. By night, the artwork will become an illuminated 360° light and sound experience, allowing visitors to admire the beauty of Australia’s native bee species while reflecting upon the coexistence of humans within the natural environment.

You can entertain and educate the kids about all things bees with help from Creative Kids, a roster of fun-filled (and FREE) workshops that run Monday to Wednesday from 9:30–11:00 am. Each day is a new activity, ensuring growing creative minds are kept curious – think painting, crafting and other hands-on fun. Talking of hands-on, you can also get your mitts ready for a beeswax cloth wrap workshop with Bee One Third, learn how to craft your own natural beeswax candles or treat your tastebuds to a honey tasting and marvel at the live native bees that call West Village home. For something truly out-of-the-box, visit West Village on Saturday May 21 for Camerata’s ‘Bees in Nature’ concert, where Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra’s string sensations will treat your ears to delightful songs while you enjoy a cheese tasting platter – and a jar of West Village x Bee One Third honey to take home!

This article was created in partnership with our friends at West Village. To find out more, head to West Village’s website to check out the huge range of activities.

To find out more about what’s on in Brisbane, head to our Event Guide.



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