Viewfinder: Earth Day Festival in Napa
The all-day celebration kicked off with the NapaFit Race for Education and Napa River clean-up, then shifted into high gear with live music, food and wine and many informational booths.
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This year's Earth Day festival drew throngs to downtown Napa for a celebration that included live music and dancing, food and drink and an environment-themed expo on Third Street that featured dozens of booths from local nonprofits, businesses and schools.
The day got off to a running start with the first-ever NapaFit Race for Education, a 5k/10k fun run/walk along the Napa River Trail that ended in Veterans Memorial Park, where live bands performed throughout the day.
Many of the informational booths targeted their presentations to children and families: The City of Napa Water Division had a "wheel of fortune" game, complete with prizes, to quiz kids on their knowledge of water conservation, while at the Vista 360 at Pueblo Vista Elementary School booth, youngsters could pot up a plant and at the Bumrite booth, intrigued moms learned about the virtues of cloth diapers.
Debbie Stevens from Worm Endings Unlimited was there with her worm compost and "worm tea" for nourishing gardens; hungry humans lined up at the Kara's Cupcakes, Mark's The Spot and Phat Salads food trucks.
The Earth Day event was produced by the Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County, with the support of more than three dozen local and regional organizations.
In This article
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5k/10k Race for Education Run (or Walk)
April 23, 2011 at 9:00 am2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa, CA (Race begins at Napa Valley College) -
City of Napa Water Division
1340 Clay St, Napa, CA -
Vista 360 at Pueblo Vista Elementary School
1600 Barbara Rd, Napa, CA -
The Great Cloth Diaper Change - Napa Valley
April 23, 2011 at 9:00 am–11:00 amKennedy Park (Egret Picnic Area) -
Worm Endings Unlimited
1091 Thompson Ave, Napa, CA -
Kara's Cupcakes
610 1st St Ste 19, Napa, CA
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Earth Day Napa - Building Awareness & Inspiring Change
April 23, 2011 at 11:00 am–5:00 pmDowntown Napa,, Napa, Ca (Veterans Memorial Park, Main & 3rd Street)
Tom Ontis
11:39 am on Sunday, April 24, 2011
Since you said you like stories of Napa days of yore: On the first Earth Day in 1970, I walked to school, that would be THE HIGH SCHOOL, from my home in Coombsville, about six miles. My short little legs didn't carry me too swiftly. Me thinx I left the house at about 6:30. I was offered a number of rides along the way, but turned them down as a statement.An ugly black cloud hung over the agricultural area, as pots burning was still the accepted method of keeping the frost off the grapes. I wore a paper mask over my nose and mouth. Thankfully, that has changed. I do believe I took the bus home, well probably to Silverado, where my mother, coming home from work at the hospital would pick me up.
Lots of kids rode their bikes, more than usual, a couple even rode their horses and tied them up by the south baseball diamond. Ah, the days of yesteryear in beautiful Napa, CA
Richard Bruns
11:40 am on Sunday, April 24, 2011
It was a very nice day, and the drumming group was great!
Louisa Hufstader
12:37 pm on Sunday, April 24, 2011
Richard, it was great to see you there. I will have a video report later tonight. Tom, I remember the first Earth Day too! My family helped pick up trash along a river in Darien, Connecticut, and my little brother Chris got his picture in local paper, which I think was the Stamford Advocate. I was 10 and very surprised to see what people had dumped -- shopping carts, even a toilet. It was an eye-opener. But if I'd known on that very day that older kids were walking six miles and even riding horses to school, I would have really been astonished. Thank you for sharing your story.