The Springfield Museums announce Earth Day Festival, Sunday, April 24, from 11 am to 4 pm. Our annual celebration of clean air, land, and water features tons of FREE hands-on, environmentally focused activities on the Quadrangle Green! (In the case of inclement weather the Festival will be moved into the Springfield Science Museum.) Free and open to the public!

Earth Day was first established as a nationwide environmental education and activism celebration on April 22, 1970. The event was organized by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, Wisconsin, who was an environmental activist and believed educating people about how to care for the Earth was the way to save the Earth.

The Springfield Museums’ Earth Day Festival offers a wide array of environmental education exhibits, programs, and activities. Visitors will learn how they can become better environmental stewards both locally and globally and how to promote conservation through everyday actions.

“One of the best ways to care for the Earth is to learn about nature,” said Dan Augustino, the Museums Aquarist and organizer of the Earth Day Festival. “Learning about the Earth helps you want to keep it clean and healthy.”

In addition to activity stations on the Quadrangle Green, visitors will have an opportunity to listen to the popular band Boys of the Landfill.

Earth Day Festival visitors can participate in free fun recreational activities that demonstrate ways to enjoy the outdoors from a variety of nonprofit and community agencies who specialize in Earth-centered work such as keeping the Connecticut River clean and nurturing bees. Visitors can also learn about the beautiful natural world which surrounds us from folks at the Connecticut River Conservancy and the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.

Displays include

• Springfield Water and Sewer Commission (Drinking Water Display)
• Western Massachusetts Master Gardener Association (Educational Activities for Kids)
• Connecticut River Conservancy (Migratory Fish Interactive Activity)
• Western MA Council Boy Scouts of America (Bird House Kits, Fishing Game, Rope-making, Knot Tying)
• Springfield Forestry Division (Seedling Giveaway)
• Regreen Springfield (Frederick Law Olmsted Program)
• MA Fisheries & Wildlife Angler Education Program (Casting Instruction)
• Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge
• Hampden County Beekeepers Association (Observation Hive and Learning Materials)
• ener-G-save/Cooler Communities (Free Energy Audit Sign-up)
• SUEZ (Educational Display)
• Hampden Hampshire Conservation District (Rainfall Simulator Activity)
• Latino Outdoors Western MA (Educational Activities)
• Springfield Department of Public Works
• Environmental Center for Our Schools (ECOS) (Paper making activity)