Local Earth Day Given a Second Chance


Mayberry Park Prepares to Host First Truckee Meadows Earth Day Celebration

Written by Kyle Young


Images provided by Rebekah Stetson

Global Earth Day this year will occur on April 22. Residents of Reno, Sparks, and the surrounding areas may have heard that the 2019 Reno Earth Day celebration at Idlewild Park was cancelled. But locals needn’t lament! A different group of organizers has stepped up. The new organizers, unaffiliated with the Idlewild Park group, are hard at work planning an outstanding Truckee Meadows Earth Day celebration at Mayberry Park in west Reno to occur on Sunday, April 28.

Truckee Meadows Earth Day (TMED) at Washoe County’s Mayberry Park is free to the public and volunteer-run. Organizers of TMED rose to the challenge with less than 70 days to fund and coordinate this massive event.

Who are these knights in eco-armor? The core group of collaborators includes Patagonia; NV Energy; River School Farm; University of Nevada, Reno; Riverside Farmers’ Market; Nevada Department of Environmental Protection; City of Reno; Truckee Meadows Water Authority; Tu Casa Latina, and many more.

The organization still is looking for volunteers and sponsors to help make this event memorable for you and your whole family. Contact event organizers at 775-342-7675 or Tmearthday@gmail.com to lend a helping hand.

The Food, Feels, and Fun Planned for TMED

Organizers chose a theme of Protect Our Pollinators for the event. Not sure what pollinators are or how they affect your life? Be sure to check out the Pollinator Planting and Education area as well as the Ecology Demonstration area at the event.

TMED will host a variety of food trucks serving local, organic foods. Note that the event will be alcohol-free and dog-free.

A myriad of opportunities will be available to learn about the good work our community is currently doing to conserve and protect our natural resources. Locals also will find a great many ways to learn how to take even better care of our planet.

Rebekah Stetson, a collaborator with TMED, shares what she is looking forward to at the celebration.

“I am most excited about this being a multicultural celebration of the earth that helps to create community among ourselves and with nature,” Stetson says. “I am also really excited for the Pow Wow Club Dancers; live music; live screen printing by Laika Press, with our logo on second-hand items that participants bring; and coming together as a community to have fun and learn.”

Other attractions scheduled for the event include farm tours, yoga by the river, fly-fishing demonstrations, the Ecstatic Dancing Sustainability Tour, the Kids’ Fun Zone, sound healing, upcycled art, cultural performances, arborist-led tree walks, bird walks, a drum circle, and much more.

Raffle tickets will be given to those who arrive on bike and those who bring reusable water bottles, plates, bowls, and utensils. You read that right: Bringing your own containers and forks will not only reduce the waste at the event, but it also will grant you the opportunity to win an awesome prize! Event organizers are aiming to recycle and reuse 100 percent of the waste generated at the event.

Reno Bike Project is leading a ride from Idlewild Park to Truckee Meadows Earth Day at Mayberry Park beginning at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the event. Stash your bike with the Rain Gardens Bike Valet.

Whether you’re a well-seasoned econaut, someone looking to learn more about green practices, or just looking to enjoy a beautiful day with friends and family, we hope you’ll join edible Reno-Tahoe as we celebrate our beautiful home at Truckee Meadows Earth Day.

Kyle Young is a freelance writer born and raised in Sparks. He writes articles about food, events, and the oddities native to Nevada. He is a proud econaut and fierce animal advocate.