Grand Canyon’s Earth Day Festival From April 19th

Spring is in the air, bringing opportunities for all of us to explore the natural bounty of our own back yard. For many people, this means it’s the perfect time to visit a true beauty – The Grand Canyon National Park. It’s the nation’s busiest park, drawing more than 5 million visitors each year. The roster of recreational options at this national jewel ranges from camping and hiking, to mule riding and exciting Grand Canyon tours, with many ways to spend a few splendid hours or a few breathtaking days. Here is an idea of things to do Grand Canyon style.

From April 19 –21, the park will celebrate Earth Day with fun and educational Grand Canyon activities. Each year, Earth Day takes place in over 175 countries worldwide to encourage people to rethink their consumption patterns. This year marks the 43rd anniversary of Earth’s special day which is very popular and is held at thousands of colleges and universities across the United States.

The free festival where families can celebrate Mother Earth features national environmental agencies and organizations which will offer samples of sustainable foods and informational handouts. Demonstrations will range from composting to bicycle-powered generators. But there is much more planned.

The award-winning one-hour documentary, Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time will take place in the Grand Canyon Visitor Center theatre on Friday, April 19 at 5:30 p.m. This free screening describes the life and work of Aldo Leopold who shaped the modern ecological movement.

Author Mary Ellen Hannibal will be discussing environmental issues from her latest book The Spine of the Continent of Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. Ms. Hannibal will also look at America’s natural habitats and the necessity to tackle the steady loss of many important lands.

The celebration will end on Sunday, April 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with an event featuring outdoor opportunities at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center plaza.

In 2010 Grand Canyon was named a Climate Friendly Park which provides an outstanding opportunity for visitors and park staff to decrease their environmental footprint and make the popular park a more eco-friendly place to visit and work.