Earth Day weekend events will show cutting edge environmental displays and exhibits in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is set to host thousands of people for the two day Earth Day festivities this weekend. They will take place on both sides of Alameda Park in downtown Santa Barbara.

The CEC staff and volunteers have been putting on this event for the community since Earth Day began in 1970, one year after the devastating 1969 Santa Barbara Channel offshore oil blowout. That covered the beaches and ocean for miles with damaging oil, and left dead birds and sea mammals behind as a horrible reminder of the catastrophe.

These days, clean energy and sustainable living are in the forefront.

Olivia Sorgman is the Project Manager with CarpEvents, putting the festival site together with the CEC staff.

"We just want everything to be  really clean and sustainable, we like to use the  bright  greens and yellows and this year's theme is planet versus plastic so we are really trying to encourage no plastics to be anywhere  in the park," said Sorgman.

The crews arrived early Friday morning to begin loading in the event to every area of the park

"First thing in was all of our volunteers at  7 a.m. and then the stage came in and then the beer truck and pop ups," said Sorgman.

The main stage is set back further than last year, opening up a larger area for viewing, dancing and the beer garden.

Several locations will have these specialized bamboo shade structures that are also used at the popular summertime Lucidity Festival.

Luke Holden is the Lucidity Festival founder and part owner. "We make bamboo and colorful shade structures for people to come and slow down and hang out," he said. "We are doing the kids stage, the eco villa stage and we are doing the beer garden stage."

Two of the streets that will be shut off but still very active are Garden Street and Micheltorena Street. Garden Street will have the green vehicles, and Micheltorena will have all the electric bikes.

"They have been able to get so many sponsors in to be part of this event we are really excited to have Rivian here and Lucid. There is a test drive area here, they can test drive it, (the green cars)" said Sorgman. "And there's the bike valet and the bike test rides so you can also test those." She said last year she personally checked out the cars while she was shopping for a vehicle that did not use gas.

There will also be a raffle for a RAD bike. The company now has a Santa Barbara store in the Funk Zone.

Earth Day will have many non profit environmental groups and companies specializing in healthy living and eating. It is a free all ages event with a special area just for children.

Sorgman said, "of course there will be face painting, the MOXI is here, Explore Ecology our amazing sponsor and Learning Den who helps us put it all together, and eco sensory bins you can create wands, and a karate class and a gymnastic performance."

The set up is creating a positive and healthy vibe throughout the event, which ends Sunday night. 

Local bands will be performing on both days, with a break for the Environmental Hero award Sunday at noon.

For more information go to: The Community Environmental Council.