The UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History is gearing up to host A Honey of a Dinner, an evening of food, drink and conversation celebrating Oregon’s bees.

The Thursday, Jan. 28, event — cosponsored by Viking Braggot Company, Nectar Creek Mead, and Blessed Bee Honey — will begin with tastings of local honey and honey-based beverages, set to a live jazz performance by Joe Manis and Tyler Abbot. 

Guests will then enjoy a three-course feast highlighting local, bee-pollinated foods. The evening’s featured speaker, Oregon State University honeybee expert Carolyn Breece, will explore the pivotal roles bees play in our ecosystems and food supply and give an update on bee health in the Pacific Northwest.  

“From pears to berries to hazelnuts, Oregon crops depend on healthy bee populations,” said MNCH public programs director Ann Craig. “We want to celebrate the importance of bees to Oregon’s agriculture and biodiversity, and to encourage a dialogue about how we can help conserve these vital pollinators.”

A Honey of a Dinner will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Lee Barlow Giustina Ballroom of the Ford Alumni Center. Seating is limited and advance reservations are required.

Tickets are $60 for museum members and $80 for the public. Tables for eight are available for $500 and include two museum memberships to give as gifts.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 541-346-1671 or email judip@uoregon.edu.

– By Kristin Strommer, Museum of Natural and Cultural History