Good Neighbors Group To Host Severna Park Earth Day Festival April 27

Officially observed on April 22, Earth Day has been celebrated for over 50 years by millions of people who are devoted to protecting the planet. Earth Day falls on a Monday this year, but locally, it will be celebrated on Saturday, April 27.

For 22 years, the Severna Park-based Good Neighbors Group has hosted an annual festival that brings together environmental organizations, vendors, school groups and others to educate attendees about the world in which they live and challenge them to steward it well.

This year’s Earth Day Festival will take place on April 27 from 10:00am-2:00pm at the Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company on Ritchie Highway. The theme for 2024 is “good for the earth is good for us.” Event organizers hope to provide year-round inspiration through the festival’s numerous opportunities for education and entertainment.

According to the event website, exhibitors will include environmental organizations, animal welfare organizations, recycling and composting exhibitors, alternative energy specialists, and physical and mental wellness providers. Vendors and exhibitors already signed up for the festival include Go Melvo Snoballs, the Magothy River Association, the Anne Arundel Watershed Stewards Academy, Oak Hill Elementary School and many others listed online. Cafe Mezzanotte, BD Provisions, Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi, and other businesses are sponsoring the event.

The Earth Day Festival will also be home to the Good Neighbors Depot, where attendees can unload unwanted items in a sustainable way that benefits others. Items that can be recycled, upcycled or donated include kitchen essentials that will benefit Hope For All clients; pet supplies that will help cats and dogs through Saving Grace Animal Rescue; blankets and bedding that will assist those experiencing homelessness through the Arundel House of Hope; and many others.

“With so many great opportunities to learn, engage with knowledgeable people, have fun, listen to music, and eat great food, we hope this one-day event will inspire people all year long,” the Good Neighbors Group Earth Day Festival webpage reads.

Good Neighbors Group is a nonprofit organization established in 2006 with a mission to “strengthen communities by caring, sharing and supporting opportunities that have a positive social and environmental impact.” The group affirms that “one person can make a difference.” Its S(o)uper Bowl Food Drive in February brought together residents of 71 neighborhoods who collectively donated goods to seven local food pantries.

To learn more about the upcoming Earth Day Festival, visit the Good Neighbors Group website.