Durham's 2011 Earth Day Festival

On Sunday, May 1, residents can “go green” and attend a day filled with an eclectic mix of music, entertainment, green products, art, and hands‐on environmental education at the 2011 Durham Earth Day Festival. This annual event will be held in downtown from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. at Durham Central Park (502 Foster St.) and is sponsored by Durham Parks and Recreation and Keep Durham Beautiful in partnership with Bull City Open Streets.

New this year, Bull City Open Streets will close the streets surrounding the Earth Day Festival to promote biking, walking, and physical activities. The tradition of closing streets began in Bogota, Colombia where every Sunday, 70 miles of Bogota’s streets were closed for traffic and opened for pedestrian activities. American cities from New York to San Francisco now enjoy regular open streets events. Durham is the first city in North Carolina to host an event of this kind. Event organizers want to promote health, community, environmental awareness and downtown’s economic growth.

Children will enjoy the Kids Zone, featuring hands‐on environmental activities including crafts, environmental and science activities, and the annual Durham Earth Day Parade. In addition, Home Depot will offer workshops to teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety.

Teens and adults of all ages will enjoy the music and dance performances at the Main Stage. At the Eco-Lounge, participants can relax and learn what local environmental groups are doing to preserve and enhance the future and health of our community.

This year’s Sustainability Expo will feature an exciting array of businesses, artists, non‐profit, educational, and government agencies that will share information and resources about all aspects of “going green.” Home Depot’s “At Home Services” will also be on hand to share home energy tips.

Festival goers can shop at the Earth Art Market for green products, crafts, and art. The Shred Truck and E-Waste Recycling will be on-site to dispose of your old computers, TVs, and other electronic equipment with cords for free. Want to shred your confidential documents and recycle them? Bring t hem to the festival to be shredded.