Earth Day Pensacola will return to Bayview Park on April 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year’s festival will feature a new event layout along the shores of Bayou Texar and next to the new Bayview Community Center.

“For 32 years, Earth Day Pensacola has engaged the community in a day of fun and education in celebration of our connection to the natural world that sustains us all,” says Christian Wagley, the Florida-Alabama coastal organizer for Healthy Gulf, a regional environmental nonprofit. “Earth Day 2022 will continue that tradition in an enhanced waterfront setting that promises to deepen our relationships with each other and the planet.”

Each year, Earth Day Pensacola draws thousands of attendees for a day of learning, live music, local food and plants, art, green products and hands-on activities. Its goals are to educate the public about environmental issues, to empower individuals and organizations to make eco-minded decisions, and to mobilize the community toward a more environmentally friendly Pensacola.

“While our planet faces many challenges, including climate change and loss of habitat, Earth Day brings home solutions like the transition to clean energy and building communities around people rather than cars,” Wagley says. 

New Year, New Energy

Earth Day Pensacola relies on a dedicated group of volunteers who organize a mix of activities and work to make the festival inspiring and fun. Ric Kindle, the event’s music and entertainment director, says having new committee members on board this year “has brought a whole new energy to Earth Day Pensacola. We are all excited to bring the continued message of sustainability to the community.”

One of the highlights of the 2022 festival is the Pensacola Arts Market and its dozens of local vendors. The market showcases small-batch and handmade eco-friendly products that include art, soaps, baked goods, unique jewelry, treats and more. 

“This will support locally owned small businesses in a way that shifts our purchasing choices to keep our money in our local community while celebrating more sustainable products,” Kindle says. 

Meanwhile, some of the Pensacola area’s best performers will keep the Earth Day stage lively throughout the day with what Kindle calls “an eclectic mix of genres.”

“This year we’ve added the children’s dance group Swerve,” he says. “We truly believe that if we can get the message of sustainability to kids, it will be a way of life as they grow into adults.”

Location: Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St., Pensacola, FL. For more information, email [email protected], visit EarthDayPensacola.org or find Earth Day Pensacola on Facebook.