What’s better than heading to the outlets to score a deal at the Crocs store and then crushing an Auntie Anne’s pretzel? Taking your new Crocs and your pretzel to the outlet roof to hang out with some honeybees, of course.
You’ll be able to do just that at the Tanger Outlets at National Harbor this summer—the spot just installed a honeybee colony on its roof. The seasonal project is hosted in partnership with urban beekeeping company Alvéole as part of what Tanger calls its commitment to sustainability.
Bee fans can check out the colony’s website, where updates will be posted such as the number of hives at the outlet (currently one), the number of bees (currently 10,500), and the number of miles the bees have traveled each day (currently over 6,000). The outlets will also host a series of summer workshops about urban beekeeping.
And if the whole “murder hornets” news cycle has forever scarred you, fear not—this breed has been selected specifically for “their docility,” according to a press release. The hive will remain at the outlet indefinitely and will be winterized when the weather turns cold.
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
