BHSU SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT TO HOST FIRST EARTH DAY FESTIVAL

The Black Hills State University Sustainability Department will be hosting the first Earth Day Festival on the BHSU Campus Saturday, April 20, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will take place on the Campus Green and is free and open to the public. 

“We’re so excited to connect with the campus and Spearfish community at our first Earth Day Festival. There’s truly something for everyone,” said Eva Chase, sustainability coordinator at BHSU. 

The festival will offer games and prizes, a scavenger hunt, free houseplants, music, and vendors. 

Featured speakers at the celebration include Christine Cunningham and Steve Meyer, who have partnered with Alaska Geographic, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management to publish a collection of outdoor essays titled “The Land We Share.” Their presentation will begin at 11:30 a.m., and signed copies of their book will be available for purchase throughout the event. Jacqueline Wyatt will also give a virtual tour of the Vore Buffalo Jump.  

In addition, the festival will feature Spearfish Bike Collective’s Annual Bike Swap, an electric vehicle show, a solar panel tour, and a recycled art contest. “Solar tours are a can’t-miss opportunity to see a large solar array up-close and in-person, and the recycled art competition will give attendees a chance to see how local artists breathe new life into what would have been ‘trash,’ and vote on their favorite piece,” Chase added. "We'll also be hosting numerous local environmental groups to help attendees find their new favorite way to get involved in their community.” 

For more information, visit BHSU Sustainability on Facebook, or contact Eva Chase at Eva.Chase@BHSU.edu.