Celebrating the Earth

Event goers got together for some landscape work at the 2010 Earth Day Celebration.
Photo courtesy of facebook.com/EarthDayWV

Wednesday, April 22 marked 45 years of a worldwide celebration of the Earth and the life within it and promoting awareness of rising air, water, and soil pollution. Twelve years ago, three young minds were inspired to organize a special occasion to commemorate this day. Llynium Entertainment and the Appalachian South Folklife Center will present the Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 25, starting at 11 a.m. and ending by 11 p.m.

This celebration will be held at the Appalachian South Folklife Center in Pipestem, W.Va. The Earth Day Celebration is free and open to the public. It is a full day of music and workshops celebrating the planet. The Taco Trolley will be vending the event, and will serve vegetarian and traditional tacos in the on-site dining hall. 

Workshops will be held throughout the day until 7 p.m. Musical performances will continue into the night until 11 p.m.

Those who plan to attend the event will be able to participate in any or all of the five workshops planned for the day, such as upcycling grocery bags and painting river rocks. There will also be a yoga session held at noon with instructor Joanie Bailey. Musical performances include Katie Engo, Nathaniel Altare, Scott Bennett, Option 22, and Old Soul Reunion.

The idea for an Earth Day event in came into fruition 12 years ago thanks to environmentalist Jack Frazier. Event organizer Lori McKinney said that Frazier was a “real environmentalist” who lived off the grid and believed in living a life of self-sustainability. It was when he encouraged the thought of holding an Earth Day festival that McKinney, her now husband Robert Blankenship, and a friend made the decision to hold an Earth Day celebration in the beautiful mountains of Southern West Virginia. It was only a couple years later when Llynium Entertainment partnered with the Appalachian South Folklife Center to hold the event.

McKinney believes this year will be distinguished from former Earth Day celebrations. One difference being the installment of a community garden at the center. She says garden workers and directors will be available to answer questions and give a hands-on demonstration. The second difference is a whole other celebration within itself. The Appalachian South Folklife Center is celebrating its 50 year anniversary. 

The center is a non-profit organization that services needy families in home repair and performs other community services for non-profit and grassroots organizations. Its mission is also to educate young children in the local area and many others around the U.S. about West Virginia heritage and culture. 

McKinney says with the 50 year anniversary of the Folklife Center on their doorstep that many people are looking to see how the center will change and develop in the future. She says, “I think it is a really special kind of turning point because everybody’s looking at what’s going to happen next with the center in the next 50 years. There are a lot of people talking about living sustainably, living in community, and sustainable building practices, and what life can look like for us as a community over the next 50 years.”

McKinney says, “If you care about the earth, and you feel called to help bring about positive change in the world, this is a really good chance to meet other people who share those interests and desires in a relaxing environment.” She continued to say that the event also provides an opportunity to come out and enjoy the beautiful mountains of West Virginia.

For a full schedule of events visit earthdaywv.com. Directions to the Appalachian South Folklife Center can be found on their website at folklifecenter.org.

McKinney says to also stay tuned for All Together Arts Week taking place May 16 through the 23. “For me it’s just another really exciting event. The parade day should be a lot of fun,” she says. More information about All Together Arts Week can be found at alltogetherarts.com.