Park district hosts celebration of Earth
Festival brings families closer with the great outdoors
Violet, a leopard gecko, who travels with the Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologists, visits with Brunswick resident, Eleanor Guilliford, 8. Photo by ELIZABETH SABO
SEVILLE – Mother Nature smiled on the guests of the 21st annual Medina County Earth Day Festival, sponsored by Medina County Park District, April 22 at the Buffalo Creek Retreat in Seville. Over 1,000 visitors flocked to the free yearly event, which happened to fall on Earth Day this year.
“We had a decent crowd and it’s been a good day,” Shelley Tender, event organizer and MCPD interpretative services manager, said.
Tender said prior to the festival the park district hosted its Earth Day Globe Trot at Hubbard Valley Park, where 35-40 families participated. The family fun run was about a mile and a half in distance and participants were permitted to run it as many times as they wanted. Each time a runner crossed the finish line, they received a raffle ticket for prizes in the conference center at the festival.
Families were able to partake in the family fishing derby and win prizes like fishing poles, nets, tackle boxes, hats, shirts and other fishing gear.
“Our whole mission is to try and get people out to the parks and enjoy the great outdoors,” MCPD naturalist Mark Ludwig and fishing derby organizer said.
Ludwig said about 250 fishers joined the derby and that it was made possible by a grant, which was used to purchase the fish that stocked the pond.
Ludwig said today’s society is very indoors-oriented, so promoting outside activities, like family fishing, is important and he encourages families to spend time together out in nature.
The grant money also provided fish for the competitive fishing derby at River Styx Park.
The first five derby participants to bait a fish were Jacob Lyons, Isabella Landozka, Ezra Henderson, Kelly Smith and Connor Kennedy.
Nate the Great created colorful balloon animals for the children, while the Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologists showcased their vast collection of reptiles for the children to look at and hold.
The windy day was perfect for flying kites and the Ohio Society for the Elevation of Kites instructed children how to make their own for $3.
Other activities included a few “make-n-take” workshops for a small fee. Guests made container gardens with The Ohio State University’s Master Gardeners. The other activity included making an oriole feeder and was sponsored by the Medina County Soil and Water Conservation District. Astro Computers instructed children how to build a pumpkin and sunflower starter, which was free for them to take home and plant.
The Medina County Solid Waste District provided a free workshop on recycling in Medina County and the MCSWCD gave a free presentation called, “Rain Gardens and Rain Barrels: How and Why?” about how to install and maintain rain gardens and barrels in home yards.
MCPD also offered a raffle for a chance to win various prizes. The Earth Day coloring contest winners were revealed and their pictures posted for viewing.
“We had a decent crowd and it’s been a good day,” Shelley Tender, event organizer and MCPD interpretative services manager, said.
Tender said prior to the festival the park district hosted its Earth Day Globe Trot at Hubbard Valley Park, where 35-40 families participated. The family fun run was about a mile and a half in distance and participants were permitted to run it as many times as they wanted. Each time a runner crossed the finish line, they received a raffle ticket for prizes in the conference center at the festival.
Families were able to partake in the family fishing derby and win prizes like fishing poles, nets, tackle boxes, hats, shirts and other fishing gear.
“Our whole mission is to try and get people out to the parks and enjoy the great outdoors,” MCPD naturalist Mark Ludwig and fishing derby organizer said.
Ludwig said about 250 fishers joined the derby and that it was made possible by a grant, which was used to purchase the fish that stocked the pond.
Ludwig said today’s society is very indoors-oriented, so promoting outside activities, like family fishing, is important and he encourages families to spend time together out in nature.
The grant money also provided fish for the competitive fishing derby at River Styx Park.
The first five derby participants to bait a fish were Jacob Lyons, Isabella Landozka, Ezra Henderson, Kelly Smith and Connor Kennedy.
Nate the Great created colorful balloon animals for the children, while the Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologists showcased their vast collection of reptiles for the children to look at and hold.
The windy day was perfect for flying kites and the Ohio Society for the Elevation of Kites instructed children how to make their own for $3.
Other activities included a few “make-n-take” workshops for a small fee. Guests made container gardens with The Ohio State University’s Master Gardeners. The other activity included making an oriole feeder and was sponsored by the Medina County Soil and Water Conservation District. Astro Computers instructed children how to build a pumpkin and sunflower starter, which was free for them to take home and plant.
The Medina County Solid Waste District provided a free workshop on recycling in Medina County and the MCSWCD gave a free presentation called, “Rain Gardens and Rain Barrels: How and Why?” about how to install and maintain rain gardens and barrels in home yards.
MCPD also offered a raffle for a chance to win various prizes. The Earth Day coloring contest winners were revealed and their pictures posted for viewing.