Earth Day parade / festival update

||| FROM EARTH DAY ORCAS |||

Earth Day Orcas is hosting a Procession of the Species Parade on Saturday, April 20. If you’d like to join in the Procession, meet up is at the library back lawn between 11 and 11:30am. Costumes and props that celebrate our natural environment are the theme. For families with kids, come early for the storytelling with Jenny DeGroot in the library (and get better parking nearby). Please park in the surrounding neighborhood or school parking lots for best access.

Along with the fun of the parade comes the logistics. Sections of Main, North Beach, Rose, and Prune Alley will be closed between 11:30 and 12:15 as the Parade makes its way from the library to the waterfront. Please do errands before or after to keep the streets clear – and come be part of the merriment!

Parade surprises: there are a few familiar and some unexpected mobile parade features this year. All focused on protecting the natural environment.

The Procession concludes at Emmanuel Episcopal and the Festival Schedule runs noon-5pm: Eco-Fair, Kids Camp, Nature Walk, Community Soup Kitchen, Kite and prayer flag making, Art and Music are at Emmanuel.

Colorful flags will line the waterfront and connect to Waterfront Park where music starts at 12:30 with a community drum circle dance beginning at 1:30, opening with a blessing by Rosie Cayou James (Samish). The concluding concert with Clint McCune, Joel Gamble and friends is in the Emmanuel
Church, 3:30-5pm.

A big thank you to The Funhouse for providing space for the lively parade prep workshops that took place on April 8 and 13. We had 21 participants across 3 generations and it was great fun to work together as a community. Everyone said “more like this” and the Islands Makers Guild is planning more pop-up makeries throughout the year.

Reminders: The Opening Poetry Reading is Friday evening on the 19 in the Emmanuel Church. Doors open at 6:30 for this reverential experience featuring Jill McCabe Johnson, Quinn Bailey and Derek Sheffield. Book signing with Darvill’s and the labyrinth luminaria follow, 8-8:30. Music in the Parish Hall continues the evening with David Roth. Community members have been busy making the luminarias that have an eel grass and salmon theme. Come enjoy this evening honoring our home planet.

The Earth Day Island Film Fest online streaming program passes are free. Click here to request a pass and view the line up of 4-60 minute documentaries available April 18-28. Co-hosted with the Friday Harbor Film Festival.

And remember, you can pick up the Great Island Clean Up Gear anytime this week to help gather plastic waste and return it to the Exchange on The Green, 10-2 on Saturday.

Gratitude and Recognition for the ‘village’ coming together to bring another Earth Day Orcas to life. Each year, the circle grows:

• SJC Land Bank
• 13 Moons (Swinomish)
• Orcas Library
• Emmanuel Episcopal Church
• The Funhouse Science Fair
• Wolf Hollow
• OPAL Green Carshare Network
• Orcas EV Charger Project
• Gathering of the Eagles (Lummi)
• The Orcas Garden Club
• Black Cap Restoration
• Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture
• Camp Orkila Science Program
• The San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild
• The Orcas Island Seed Library
• Education Alfresco
• Funhouse Arts Education
• Orcas Food Rescue
• Odd Fellows
• Earth Ball
• Salmonberry School
• Woody Ciskowski, Game Master
• Zack Leck Studio
• Swamp Sticks with Maria Bullock
• Clint McCune, Joel Gamble and Friends
• Burke Mulvany and Josie Dow
• Hayley Shannon Dance
• John Raymond Berry
• Rosie Cayou James (Samish)
• SJC Master Gardeners
• Orcas Historical Museum
• The Friday Harbor Film Festival
• Sea Doc Society
• Kites for Gaza
• Orcas Dance Collective
• Debra Lee Babcock, Poetry Host
• Darvill’s Bookstore
• Poets Jill McCabe Johnson, Quinn Bailey and Derek Sheffield
• San Juan Islands Makers Guild