You’ve switched to energy efficient bulbs. You bring your own reusable canvas bags to the grocery store. And the next car on your shopping list is definitely a hybrid. What more can you do? Find out at multiple Earth Day celebrations this weekend.
Begin tonight at the Green Shoe Gala at Shelby Farms Park at 6 p.m. The annual green-themed park fund-raiser features plenty of schmoozing, boozing, a full organic dinner, and a silent auction. The auction’s highlight is a “green shoe” hand-crafted from metal reclaimed from the steel rafters of the First United Methodist Church, which burned down in 2006.
Wake up early on Saturday for the Lichterman Nature Center’s annual EarthFest, featuring live music, an Earth Day parade, canoeing demos, and craft activities. Don’t forget the picnic basket as there’s plenty of natural areas at Lichterman for a relaxing outdoor meal with the family. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Alternatively, the Memphis Zoo is hosting their Party for the Plant on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Zookeepers will be on-hand to chat about individual animal exhibits, and kids can stay busy with crafts and games.
More hands-on types will get their kicks during the Sierra Club’s Wolf River Harbor Clean-up on Saturday from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Participants will pick up bottles and other debris littering the harbor. Meet under the Auction Street Bridge downtown. Bags and gloves will be provided, but be sure to wear comfortable clothes.
Finish out the weekend with theDown to Earth Celebration at Shelby Farms Park. The second annual festival features informational booths on green products and services, two stages of live music, and a kid’s area. Stewardship activities, such as planting trees and flowers, will be going on throughout the park. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more weekend fun, check out the Flyer’s searchable calendar: