Manchester prepares for the fifth annual Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 26, shining a spotlight on sustainable products and services, outdoor enthusiasts and supporters of locally crafted food, beverages, arts, and more.
The RVA Earth Day Festival runs from riverside to Plant Zero, 11 a.m. -7 p.m., starting on the south side of the 14th Street Mayo Bridge. In collaboration with Central Montessori School and Art 180, a kite festival on Mayo Island has been added to festival. This free event provides a family friendly atmosphere with arts, crafts, kid’s activities, a petting farm, farmers, an outdoor gear swap, bike and yoga demonstrations, canal and riverside fish casting, environmentalists, community engagement activities, artisan craftsmen, jewelers, and other vendors.
Entertainment will be abundant. Local favorite Three Sheets to the Wind will perform, along with other popular groups Black Girls, Mighty Joshua, DJ Williams Projekt and The Hit List. The RVA Earth Day Festival offers local and organic food options, three stages of local music, a recycled art show and a bike valet. Special appearances will be made by Nutzy from the Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball team and Jonathan Austin, Richmond’s favorite magician and juggler.
RVA Earth Day Festival, with support from Taste the Local and Brown Distributing, will have over 20 Virginia craft beer options with a focus on those brewed in Richmond. The festival will serve Manchester’s own Blue Bee Cider and other wines from tap, the most eco conscience way to distribute and pour wine. Each wine “keg” eliminates 26 bottles from being produced, shipped and thrown in the trash.
Manchester’s own Legend Brewing Co. will serve as host of the official RVA Earth Day Festival after-party, with more live music and fun from 7:30-11 p.m.
Last year, nearly 8,000 people joined the fun in Manchester celebrating the power of local goodness and Mother Earth. Drivers should prepare for traffic delays on the 14th Street Mayo Bridge and be alert to the thousands of attendees expected from Mayo Island to Plant Zero on East Fourth Street.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the nonprofit FeedRVA and the work they do in the Richmond community to foster access to locally farmed foods for all.
RVA Earth Day Festival is powered by local goodness from, Style Weekly, Sonoco Recycling, Taste the Local, Brown Distributing, Miller Lofts, FeedRVA, Backyard Farmers, Art Works, RVA Green, Triple Stamp Press, Energy Cycle, Ride Richmond, Central Montessori School, Art180, RVA event space, The Shop, Rockitz, James River Outdoor Coalition, Virginia Outside, Virginia Fishing Adventures, Project Yoga, RVA Fashion Week and Wandering Cow Petting Farm.
For a full list of events and schedule details, visit rvaearthdayfest.org
