Music, Children's Activities Highlight Lawrence University Earth Day Celebration

APPLETON, WIS. -- Live music, children's activities, speakers and environment-related information booths will highlight Lawrence University's fourth annual Earth Day Festival Saturday, April 20 on the Lawrence Main Hall Green. All events are free and open to the public.

A heavy dose of children-friendly activities will be conducted throughout the day, including rock painting, recycled arts and crafts and stories and songs performed by Kristine Pamenter, an environmental storyteller from Cascade.

Children also will participate in the "Kid's Earth Day Parade," showcasing their bikes, wagons and strollers. Lawrence students will help kids decorate their bikes with furnished recycled materials.

The Bill Jorgenson Trio, a bluegrass band, will perform in the Wriston Art Center Amphitheatre from 11:30 a.m -2:30 p.m. Local cover band Fahrenheit 420 will play from 3-5 p.m.

Ralph Bronner, the vice president of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, presents "Living the Label," a talk on sustainable living and buying organic products at 2 p.m.

Members of the Sierra Club, Green Party and National Wildlife Federation will be available at booths throughout the afternoon with information on a range of environmental issues. In addition, several hybrid automobiles will be on display and a "swap meet" with household items for trade and barter will be held from 12-5 p.m.

A trash pickup along the banks of the Fox River, in conjunction with the Fox Valley Sierra Club, kicks off the day-long festival at 9 a.m. Volunteers interested in participating are encouraged to meet at the top of Union Hill, just west of S. Lawe St.

The Earth Day Festival is sponsored by Greenfire, Lawrence's student environmental awareness organization, EARTH House and the Coop House. In the event of inclement weather, festival activities will be moved inside the Lawrence Memorial Union.