Plans set to celebrate the planet in Town of Halifax
By Olivia Epps
Winter weather may be trying to linger, but it’s not dampening the spring spirit behind this year’s Earth Day celebration in the Town of Halifax.
Preparation is well underway for the 10th Annual Earth Day Extravaganza set for Saturday, April 21 at the Halifax Farmer’s Market. The event, set to take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., brings together organizations from throughout Halifax County to educate the community on caring for our planet. There will be hands-on activities to help visitors learn and interact, as well as a healthy dose of fun with music and a petting zoo.
An exciting change for this year’s event is the pairing of the Earth Day Extravaganza with the 5K Fun Run & Walk being hosted by the Halifax, VA Family Nutrition Program, under the direction of Virginia Cooperative Extension. The 5K, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 9 a.m., allowing runners and walkers to get a first-hand look at Earth Day Extravaganza activities when they cross the finish line at Halifax Farmer’s Market.
“Having these events back-to-back is a great way to bring together two family-friendly opportunities at one time and place,” said Olivia Epps, event planner for the Earth Day affair and owner of Mix & Ripple, LLC. “Getting outside for exercise first thing on a Saturday morning is a fantastic way of celebrating our planet.”
Earth Day Extravaganza visitors seeking to sign up for the 5K can do so by stopping by the Virginia Cooperative Extension office in Halifax or by visiting www.halifax-events.com. They can read about all the Earth Day Extravaganza events as well as download the 5K registration information or get the link to register online.
According to Epps, another activity sure to be popular is the rain barrel workshop being offered by Halifax Soil and Water Conservation District working in conjunction with Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Southside Master Gardeners Association.
The workshop will start at 9 a.m. on April 21 at the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office located at 171 South Main Street in Halifax and will finish at the Earth Day Extravaganza at the Farmer’s Market. Registration information for the rain barrel workshop is available on the Halifax Soil and Water Conservation District’s website, www.halifaxswcd.org, or by visiting their office located at 171 South Main Street in Halifax.
Another activity, designed to get the youngest visitors engaged, is the Recycling Scavenger Hunt. Children 12 and younger can visit the Earth Day website (www.halifax-events.com/earthday) or the Facebook page (@HalifaxEarthDay) and download the list of items to find and bring to the event for recycling. Participants will receive a prize bag for their recycling efforts.
Thanks to the Halifax Village Association, the Town of Halifax will have Earth Day decorations in storefronts and there will be live musicians outside Town Hall. Visitors will be encouraged to make their way up Main Street to see the petting zoo from Rocking B Farm and go enjoy the music and more Earth Day fun. The Packhouse will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a full menu from which to satiate appetites. Additional food vendors will be set up at the Farmers Market.
“We’ve been fortunate this year to have numerous monetary sponsors as well as participating organizations,” Epps said. “There will be lots of chances for visitors to learn and have fun. Our goal is to educate people by bringing together some of the best resources in our county. There’s no better place to do that, and celebrate the Earth, than at the Halifax Farmer’s Market.”
Finally, Epps said, the planning has come together to offer document shredding services, which was a request that was unable to be filled last year.
“We are very excited to offer document shredding via Commonwealth Document Management thanks to sponsorship help from First Piedmont Services,” Epps said. “Document shredding services will be available at the Halifax Farmer’s Market on the Thursday prior to the Earth Day Extravaganza. It will be April 19 from 4 to 7 p.m.”
The current list of monetary sponsors for this year’s Earth Day Extravaganza includes Dominion-Clover Power Station, Molasses Grill, Huber Engineered Woods, Sentara, Bridgeview Express Tire & Auto and Staunton River State Park.
Participating organizations include Southside Master Gardeners Association, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Halifax Soil & Water Conservation District, Dan River Basin Association, Staunton River State Park, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Halifax County-South Boston Public Library, Southern Virginia Botanical Garden, Halifax Improvement Council, Rocking B Farm, Halifax Volunteer Fire Department and Halifax County’s Sheriff’s Department.
Additional organizations, activities and vendors continue to be added to the event. For the most up-to-date information about the Earth Day Extravaganza, visit www.halifax-events.com and click on Earth Day or find the event on Facebook @HalifaxEarthDay