Experience the tradition of the 26th annual St. Louis Earth Day Festival on Sunday, April 26th from 10 am to 6 pm on the Muny Grounds of Forest Park. Participate in a variety of hands-on educational activities, meet area non-profits that share the mission of Earth Day, and learn about sustainable products and services offered by local businesses. Enjoy three stages of entertainment, great food, and family-friendly programming throughout the duration of the festival. This year’s event will include special features, like yoga classes all day for both adults and children, a rock climbing wall, and a Metro Bus mural painting. The theme of the festival is a message of inclusion “Earth Day Every Day…for Everyone!” Event entry is free; the Earth Day Festival is a welcoming place where all are invited for celebration and learning.
Take the Earth Day Challenge by bringing a reusable bag, refillable water bottle and using low-impact transportation to get to Forest Park. Visitors who accomplish two of the three challenges receive an eco-friendly prize, like LED bulbs from Metro Lighting, native plant seedlings or Metro Transit day passes. Visit the St. Louis Earth Day booth to claim your prize.
Over twenty food and beverage vendors will be serving up diverse, local cuisine and drinks at this year’s Festival. Bota Box will be selling and sampling their eco-friendly premium boxed wines and Schlafly will have a selection of local brews on tap, including their Organic IPA, which is brewed in honor of Earth Day. Nearby, Chipotle’s engaging visual experience will contrast the difference between fresh and processed foods – a difference you can taste at the hand-picked Earth Day Cafe booths.
Seventeen Green Dining Alliance-certified restaurants and food trucks are featured in the Earth Day Cafe, at its new location along Theater Drive. Look for the Green Dining Alliance logo in your Festival Program or displayed on the booth to identify those who have committed to sustainable operations. All food vendors participate in the event’s Zero Waste initiative, serving on only recyclable and compostable service ware. Event waste is collected and sorted, thanks to Recycling On the Go volunteers and support from Subaru.
A fresh layout will be unveiled this year with themed “Experience” areas segmented to make it easy for visitors to navigate the Festival and experience all the celebration has to offer. Visitors can explore the following areas: Alternative Transportation and Fuels; Arts and Crafts; the Earth Day Café; Energy and Green Building; the Farmers Market; Home and Pets; Nature, Recreation and Wildlife; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Wellness and Spirituality; and the Youth Corner.
The Festival will open this year with a ceremony conducted by Interfaith Power and Light and local clergy. Immediately following, free yoga led by Yoga Buzz will begin in the west pavilion and continue all day. After a brief greeting from Mayor Francis G. Slay at noon, the Joia All-Species Jamboree parade will begin at the Main Stage. From 1 pm – 3 pm, artists of all experience levels are invited to help paint a Metro bus with artist Genevieve Essen, sponsored by Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and Metro Arts in Transit.
The Main Stage and Earth Day Cafe Stage feature original regional artists, including Big Brother Thunder and the Master Blasters, Bo and the Locomotives, and Letter to Memphis. The Community Stage, located in the Youth Corner, boasts a full lineup of programming, including Circus Flora and a live bird show by the World Bird Sanctuary. The new Youth Corner includes a variety of hands-on art and science activities for kids of all ages. Continue the learning at the Ameren Missouri booth, where attendees can learn about energy efficiency, solar electricity and rebate programs.
In order to reduce the environmental footprint of the festival, visitors are encouraged to carpool, take the Metro or ride a bicycle and use Trailnet’s free bike valet. Construction projects in and around the park may increase travel time. For easy access, park at St. Louis Community College off Oakland and Hampton Ave, and take a free shuttle directly to the Festival. Biodiesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses provided by St. Louis Lambert International Airport will run every 15 minutes on the hour between 9:30 am and 6:30 pm. Check our website for up-to-date transportation information when planning your visit.
The Recycling Extravaganza, a collection event for hard-to-recycle items, will be part of the Festival for a fifth year, thanks to our sponsor Missouri American Water. The Recycling Extravaganza will take place in the parking lot of the St. Louis Community College Forest Park campus, off Oakland Avenue, from 10 am to 4 pm. A full list of acceptable items, including everything from CFL light bulbs and bicycles to used shoes and small appliances, is updated regularly online so you can start collecting and planning your spring cleaning accordingly.
Start the celebration early – join us on Saturday afternoon at Earth Day Eve, a fundraiser to support the St. Louis Earth Day organization. This family-friendly event will be held on the Festival grounds, 4 pm to 7 pm, on Theatre Drive in the Earth Day Café. All are welcome to enjoy a selection of Festival food and kick back to the music of Jake’s Leg, who performed 26 years ago at the very first St. Louis Earth Day celebration. Face painting and t-shirt tie-dying, along with a silent auction and 50/50 raffle will be featured activities available at the event, for a nominal donation. Tickets are available at www.stlouisearthday.org; all proceeds benefit the year-round programming of St. Louis Earth Day.
St. Louis Earth Day is a non-profit 501c3 organization whose mission is to make every day earth day by cultivating environmental stewardship and engaging individuals, governments, businesses, schools and the non-profit sector in celebration, education and action to support a healthy and sustainable future.
The St. Louis Earth Day Festival is grateful for the support and partnership of many local businesses, companies and organizations. This event is sponsored in part by Ameren Missouri, Metro Transit, Bota Box, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Subaru, The City of St. Louis, KPLR 11/Fox 2, and Missouri American Water.
For detailed information and a complete list of sponsors including The Healthy Planet magazine, please visit www.stlouisearthday.org.