Visitors to Mountain Top Library’s Earth Day Celebration on April 25 will be able to plant a tree, learn about protecting the local watershed, watch short films, and meet a falconer — all in one afternoon.
The library’s eighth annual Earth Day event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Main Street in Tannersville, offering family-friendly programming focused on environmental stewardship, local history, and community connection.
From seed and sapling giveaways to talks with local artists, historians, and environmental experts, the event will turn the library into a community hub centered on local flora, fauna, and sustainability.
A spring gardening workshop led by Cornell Cooperative Extension will begin at 9 a.m. across the street at Fromer Market Gardens.
Jaki Elmo, the library’s director, said the event has drawn more appreciation each year because of the way the community comes together to make it happen.
“It’s put together by everyone, for everyone,” she said. “We’re all in this together.”
An opening ceremony at 10 a.m. with remarks by local officials will set the tone for the day. Attendees will be able to learn about the local watershed and environmental history, create flower sculptures from recycled materials, watch environmentally themed short films, meet live reptiles and birds of prey, borrow garden tools, and pick up free seeds and trees for planting. They will also be able to hear from local artists and connect with others working toward a more sustainable future.
First launched in 1970, Earth Day is widely regarded as the start of the modern environmental movement. The annual observance helped galvanize national support for environmental protections, including the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency later that year and passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972.
This year’s celebration comes as communities across the region mark Earth Day with expanded programming. In nearby Saugerties and Woodstock, organizers are planning a full week of events highlighting environmental challenges and local action.
One featured attraction in Tannersville will be the solar-powered Homespun Merry-Go-Round, an earth-friendly ride built by Al Gori from recycled materials.
Other participating groups will include the Hunter Rail Trail, Mountain Top Historical Society, Mountain Top Arboretum, Thomas Cole National Historic Site, Peace Village, Camp Catskill, the Sierra Club, Fromer Market Gardens, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the Catskill Center.
A bake sale during the event will benefit Friends of the Mountain Top Library.
For the full schedule and list of sponsors, visit Mountain Top Library’s website.