About 1,600 people attended Great Bend’s inaugural Earth Day celebration, held last year at the Great Bend Zoo. Such a successful event begs the question, what can be done for an encore? The organizers of the Earth Day celebration are ready to take on this challenge.
Three Great Bend businesses, located north of Main Street, are joining efforts once again to host Great Bend’s Earth Day celebration this spring at the Great Bend Zoo. The Zoo, Rosewood ECycle and Great Bend Dairy Queen scheduled the event from 11am to 2pm on April 22nd.
“Last year was so incredible that it will be difficult to match those numbers again,” said Ashley Burdick, curator of the Great Bend Zoo. “But I am confident that we will have another successful event and also have the opportunity to offer more this year than last year.”
Great Bend’s Earth Day celebration benefitted last year from Smoky Hills PBS who incorporated their “Family Fun Day” into the event which included an appearance by Curious George who met and mingled with the children. It was a popular attraction to accompany Rosewood ECycle booths and activities, Heartland Farm, Kansas Wetlands Education Center, Great Bend Zoological Society, Women for Kansas, and the “Read With Me” program in Great Bend.
Many of those same vendors have expressed an interest in returning for this year’s Earth Day event, which is aimed at children, but all family members are welcome to attend. Great Bend Dairy Queen will once again be issuing a coupon for a free kids cone to all young attendees that day. “We’re thrilled that many of last year’s vendors are committed to returning this spring,” Burdick said. “We encourage other businesses and organizations to sign up and celebrate this day with us. We expect many children and families to participate again this year.”
Burdick said Great Bend Zoo can provide tables for vendor stalls. In case of bad weather, the staff will also offer an indoor space for vendors.
Great Bend’s Earth Day celebration, which takes place on the official 53rd anniversary of Earth Day, is an event that comes and goes and is free to the public. Businesses and organizations looking to join the celebration can contact Burdick at 620-793-4226 or email her at [email protected]. The deadline for stand registration is April 1st.
