For Flagler County parents looking for ways to celebrate Earth Day with their youngsters, there are a host of activities shaping up to commemorate the annual event.
The Friends of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park will again host its annual Earth Day Event Saturday, April 22, at the state park in Flagler County.
The annual event includes environmental education booths, a kids’ section, arts & crafts vendors, food vendors and live entertainment, and the gift shop will be open. Admission to the park is $5 per vehicle.
The 425-acre Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas River along State Road A1A in Palm Coast. It boasts towering live oaks, hickory and magnolia trees, as well as 20 acres of formal gardens in which guests can stroll.
Meanwhile, Flagler-Palm Coast High School is planning a host of activities that they will be incorporating throughout Earth Day week, 4/17-4/21.
A “tree” will be constructed in the cafe area (using paper and creative minds). Students will write about one way they can contribute to helping keep our Earth healthy on a cut out of a leaf. The Student Government Association’s environment committee will add those leaves to the tree.
There will also be a presentation playing on the TVs in the cafeteria of the beautiful and varied natural landscapes of the Earth.
The environment committee will also install a large bulletin board painted in honor of Earth Day and host a scavenger hunt with clues around the school. The first person to successfully collect all the items on the list will win a prize. All participants will receive candy rewards. The first clue or starting point will be on the Bulletin Board.
Also, interested FPC students will be given “start-up kits” to grow a tree if they sign the pledge to plant one this year.
The ecology-minded students also plan to grow four examples of seeds in different stages of germination to use as a display.
Interactive—and fun— carnival-style games will be conducted during lunch. For example, a tree will be painted on a poster board with a hole cut out. Students can compete to toss pine cones through the hole in the tree. Students can also guess the sound that will be played on the speakers in the cafeteria (i.e., birds chirping, rivers flowing, volcanoes erupting, etc.)
Student government students also are planning an initiative to boost interest and participation in the events planned for throughout the week. For further information, check the school’s website.
The City of Palm Coast is hosting its annual Arbor Day event on Saturday, May 6, at Central Park in Town Center. This is an annual favorite with a live butterfly release, tons of booths, food trucks, axe throwing, a petting zoo and more.
There are no specific Earth Day events, but coinciding with April 22, the city has two community events slated: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fire Station 25 will be the location for the Fire Department’s 50th Anniversary celebration. Then, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., the city will host a Puppapalooza event for people and their dogs at Holland Park.
