Earth Day 2012 Events on Saturday: Bellevue and Newcastle Celebrating

Bellevue Earth Day/Arbor Day

Hundreds of volunteers are expected to participate in park enhancement projects at Bellevue’s 22nd annual Arbor Day-Earth Day event, with a family-oriented festival at  to follow. 

Volunteers , but the family festival is open to the public. The festival is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Lewis Creek Park.

This year’s celebration also marks Bellevue's 21st year of being recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Events will include:

• Volunteer Projects, 9 to 11 a.m.: Approximately 400 volunteers will participate in park enhancement projects at Lewis Creek Park, 5808 Lakemont Blvd. SE., and other parks across the city. Projects will include planting, trail resurfacing and removing invasive species. 
• Family Festival, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: At Lewis Creek Park Visitors Center, the festival will feature local environmental organizations hosting free activities, ranger walks and demonstrations. Stewards of all ages are welcome. Children can obtain an Arbor Day Passport from a ranger, and journey through the park to various eco-stations to receive passport stamps along the way. Completed passports can be turned in for a prize.
• Arbor Day-Earth Day ceremonial tree planting, 11:30 a.m.: City Council members are expected to participate in the ceremony to plant a tree and recognize volunteers and community groups. 

Newcastle Earth Day

The Newcastle Earth Day celebration will take place on Saturday April 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lake Boren Park, located at 13058 SE 84th Way.

The celebration will highlight what is “green” for people and the environment.

Grace Stiller, chairwoman of Newcastle Earth Day said that the event will include interactive displays, music, children's events, mini-seminars, electric cars, recycling for metal and electrical appliances, blackberry munching goats and booths featuring green products and services by non-profit environmental organizations and businesses.

The fourth-annual Newcastle Earth Day celebration will take place on Saturday April 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lake Boren Park, located at 13058 SE 84th Way, Newcastle, just off of Coal Creek Parkway.

This year's event includes geocaching, the real-world treasure hunting game where players search for hidden containers using GPS devices and the interactive “Science in the Environment” display from the Pacific Science Center (PSC). The display will be hosted by the PSC staff, and consists of 10 tables with interesting learning activities for both kids and adults.

The Boeing Employees Concert Band, The Gifted Program Rock Band and a number of local high school jazz bands will provide musical entertainment.

Food will be available for purchase from vendor such as Charlie's Buns N' Stuff (burgers and sandwiches), Athena's Gyros and Tastyz Kettle Korn.

Click the PDF to the left for a Schedule of Newcastle Washington Earth Day Events.

Earth Day event sponsors include Puget Sound Energy, Three Degrees Program, Waste Management and Lake Boren Townhomes at Newcastle.