Six-year-old Brody Welsh of Cedar Rapids helps build a school garden at Harrison Elementary. This year's Eco-Fest celebration, in the New Bohemia neighborhood, will highlight what individuals can do to help the Earth. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Six-year-old Brody Welsh of Cedar Rapids helps build a school garden at Harrison Elementary. This year’s Eco-Fest celebration, in the New Bohemia neighborhood, will highlight what individuals can do to help the Earth. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

CEDAR RAPIDS – Earth Day remains relevant, even 43 years after its inception, say organizers of a Cedar Rapids event that pays tribute to that day.

Eco-Fest 2013 will be celebrated in the New Bohemia area of southeast Cedar Rapids from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 20, with music, interactive learning stations and other activities.

“We worked hard to get a diverse variety,” Jo Ann McNiel, co-chair of Eco-Fest said of the events. “I think people will find it interesting.”

McNiel said the learning stations and other activities bring awareness to “the little things” people can do to help the environment.

“Changing a few habits has a cumulative effect,” she said. “There are so many big issues that it’s easy to be overwhelmed. The point of Eco-Fest is to help us as individuals understand what we can do.”

The activities, which include a green roof tour; environmental film festival and bicycle recycling, are fun and family-friendly, said McNiel, a project coordinator at Trees Forever.

Ec0-Fest co-chair Mike Wyrick, chairman of the Cedar-Wapsi Group of the Sierra Club, pointed to activities that teach about recycling, ways to save energy and money, and understanding how much trash people discard on a daily basis.

Wyrick noted that Eco-Fest centers around creating a healthy, vibrant community, “something each of us wants, not just those you might consider environmentalists.”

Eco-Fest co-chair Emy Sautter, ecospirituality coordinator at Prairiewoods in Hiawatha, noted that the event – in its fourth year – is supported by more than 20 local arts and environmental organizations.

Activities will center around the NewBo City Market, 1100 Third St. SE, as well as  CSPS, the Cherry Building and other locations along Third Street.

While some of the activities are scheduled for outside, “Plan B and C” are ready in case of bad weather, McNiel said. “As long as it’s not raining or snowing, we’ll feel fortunate.”

FYI:

The Eco-Fest list of events includes  outdoor Music at the Market all day;  Nature Play Area hosted by Indian Creek Nature Center and Wickiup Hill;  Eco-Film Festival at CSPS featuring Earth Dance Films and “The Greenest Building”;  Eco-Market – vendors, exhibits, demonstrations, information and more;  Green Roof Tours at Water Tower Place;  Friends of Library Book Sale; Architectural Walking Tours and Scavenger Hunt;  Recycled Clothing Demonstrations, Soy Candle Making, DIY Cleaning Products; Recycled Art Sculptures and bike recycling; Learn about a Labyrinth, how to plant a tree and plant some flowers to take home;  How to Compost and cooking that is eco-friendly and easy. Find the full schedule:  Ecofest Schedule 8.5×14(2)

See more at: www.ecofestcr.wordpress.com

Community groups supporting Eco-Fest include the Cedar Wapsie Group of the Sierra Club, Trees Forever, Prairiewoods, Linn County Conservation, Solid Waste Agency, New Bo Market, Green Iowa AmeriCorps, The Epicenter, The Tapestry, Legion Arts, The City of Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Restore, Indian Creek Nature Center, The Cherry Building, CSPS and many more.