Sunday, April 17, 2011

FREE EVENT - Open to the public!

Join us for the 6th Annual Earth Day in the Junction Celebration on Sunday, April 17th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This celebration of Earth Day includes a diverse group of exhibitors, children’s activities, live music, demonstrations and food.

• This year’s Earth Day in the Junction Celebration will feature a 5K Run/Walk beginning at 11:00 a.m.  The Children's Fun Run will begin at 12:00pm.

• NOTE!  The Hybrid Mileage Contest will now take place at 12:30pm!

• Enjoy live music, vendors and entertainment throughout the day!
  • 10:00am - 12:00pm
    Design a bag to take to the grocery store or any other place you might need a bag. Plastic bags aren’t biodegradable and often end up in oceans and waterways, harming aquatic life.
    Listen to the music of local artist Mary McAdams. Mary’s music is a mix of electrified acoustic folk and traditional Americana music.

  10:30 &11:30 Programs with live reptiles!

• 12:00 - 2:00pm
  Learn about the water cycle through music, movement, and story telling in "Dance of the Water"
  

Brian Joens’ music combines the regionalism of Greg Brown with the sly humor of John Prine. His poignant and quirky songs encompass the cities, small towns, people and the countryside of our home state. It’s acoustic music made in Iowa.

12:30 Program with live reptiles!

1:00 Live Birds of Prey

• 2:00 - 4:00pm
  Using recycled CD cases and water colors, participants will create “Prairie Prints”
  Come enjoy old-time music of Flying Pig Fiddle and Banjo with Dave Losure and Mary Schaeffer-Losure. This performance will encourage the audience to participate by playing rhythm instruments like the washboard, washtub bass and limberjack, lead those interested in dances, and teach basic hambone and clogging rhythms. Or just sit back and enjoy the music from a variety of origins.

2:00, 3:00 Live Birds of Prey programs

Entering its 41st year, Earth Day has become a prominent celebration internationally. It was started by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin in 1970 as an environmental protest to call attention to mounting pollution, wildlife endangerment and disregard for natural resources in the United States. In the ‘90s, the recognition of Earth Day went global. In 2006 a group of organizations and businesses with local, regional, national and global sustainability concerns joined forces to create a local event to celebrate Earth Day and promote environmental education and green practices here in the Des Moines area.

Historic Valley Junction, in West Des Moines, is six square blocks of antique and specialty shops, art galleries, fashion boutiques, hair salons, service businesses and restaurants. Many of these businesses will be open to the public during the Earth Day Celebration.

Thank you to all who supported and participated in

the 5th Annual Earth Day in the Junction!