You can celebrate Earth Day with a variety of events taking place across the Tampa Bay area over the next few days.
The ninth annual EcoFest is taking place on Sunday at the Lowry Park Riverfront in Tampa. Organized by Learning Gate Community School, the City of Tampa and USF Health, the event will feature live music, workshops, demonstrations, informational booths and green living products and services.
Michele Northrup, who is in charge of fundraising and development at Learning Gate Community School, encourages families to celebrate being environmentally conscious.
“This is a great family-friendly event - and dog-friendly,” Northrup said. “It’s a great day where Tampa Bay comes together to celebrate the sustainability, businesses and community partners in our area that all believe that going green is the way to go every day.”
According to Northrup, EcoFest will include over 120 vendors, a Tesla, an obstacle course and even a tiny home. It will be free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Earth Day actually is Sunday, so this is a great way to celebrate and come out and enjoy the great vendors, the entertainment, the food and the fun,” Northrup said.
Downtown Sarasota will also be holding a free Earth Day celebration on Friday at Selby Five Points Park. The festival will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and will feature music, a tiny home to tour and advice on how individuals can help the planet.
The Community Canopy program will also give away 35 free trees during the event and at the Newtown Farmers Market at the Economic Development Office at 1782 Dr. MLK Jr. Way from noon to 5 p.m. Friday.
The program will give away 235 free trees -- a mix of chickasaw plums, crape myrtles, red maples, shumard oaks and sweetbay magnolias -- to Sarasota residents who reserve it at www.ArborDay.org/Sarasota starting Monday, April 23 at midnight. Each household can reserve one tree and it will be delivered to area homes.
Also on Friday, the Manatee County Administration Building in Bradenton will host an Earth Day expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free to the public, the expo will offer information and giveaways under the theme “End Plastic Pollution.”
And on Saturday, Manatee County Public Libraries will host the Recycled Dreams Fashion Show from 1 to 3 p.m at the Downtown Library. Teen contestants will make original fashions using recycled or repurposed materials and present their creations on the runway.
