AUGUSTA — Lainey Bell, the 2024 American Honey Princess, will visit Viles Arboretum, 153 Hospital St., Augusta, on Sunday, September 8. She will participate in the first Annual Maine Bee Fest with the Maine State Beekeepers Association (MSBA), speaking to attendees about the importance of honeybees to Maine agriculture and how commercial beekeepers keep crops blooming. She will also share how honey varies in taste, textures, and types. Lainey will make appearances throughout the event and will give presentations to the attendees.

Bell is the 19-year-old daughter of Cindy and Chad Bell of Winslow. She is a sophomore of University of Southern Maine, where she is studying Political Science and is part of the accelerated pathway program with the Maine School of Law. Bell is also a goalie for the University of Southern Maine Field Hockey team. She became interested the beekeeping industry when she was in high school. At that time, she started working for the state’s largest apiary, and has been interested in honey and bees ever since.

As the 2024 American Honey Princess, Bell serves as a national spokesperson on behalf of the American Beekeeping Federation, a trade organization representing beekeepers and honey producers throughout the United States. The American Honey Queen and Princess speak and promote in venues nationwide, and, as such Princess Lainey will travel throughout the United States in 2024.

“The beekeeping industry touches the lives of every individual in our country,” said Maine State Beekeepers Association, in a news release. “In fact, honeybees are responsible for nearly one-third of our entire diet, in regards to the pollination services that they provide for a large majority of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes. This amounts to nearly $19 billion per year of direct value from honeybee pollination to United States agriculture.”

The MSBA first Annual Bee Fest is free and open to everyone, young and old, who are interested in learning more about the art and science of keeping honey bees healthy and productive in Maine. Both honey tasting and smoker contests with gift certificate prizes from vendors will be offered. Bring your jar of honey and smoker and win up to $150.

If you plan on attending the open hive demonstrations in the apiary at Viles, please bring your bee suit.

“It is September and the bees may be unhappy during the inspections,” said MSBA.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for kids who have an interest in natural world and biology to discover an interesting hobby and can make some extra money selling honey,” said the release. “It is also a hobby that they will never stop learning more about. Why did my bees run out of nectar to gather this year? This fascinating super organism may just be our ‘canary in the coal mine.’”

The MSBA mission is to promote education in matters related to bees and beekeeping, to assist its affiliate associations and chapters in promoting successful beekeeping in the state of Maine; to foster congeniality among the state’s beekeepers, and to perform all other acts appropriate to a non-profit organization in serving its members.

Please scan the poster QR code or visit https://mainebeekeepers.org/ to let organizers know you are coming to Bee Fest.