Despite snowy weather Saturday morning, hundreds of Longmont community members gathered at Timberline PK-8 School for the city’s annual Earth Day Celebration.

The event, hosted by the nonprofit Sustainable Resilient Longmont, featured dozens of booths filling the school at 233 E. Mountain View Ave., offering hands-on activities and games aimed at fostering a love for the Earth.

Karen Dike, SRL board member and Earth Day Committee chair, said the nonprofit’s goal is to address global climate issues at a local level by supporting renewable energy projects, zero waste programs and regenerative agriculture. She said Saturday’s booths found creative ways to teach kids how to care for the planet.

“We’re able to educate the adults but also entertain the kids,” Dike said. “Because if kids love the Earth, they’ll help their parents love it.”

This year marks the ninth iteration of the event, but its first time at Timberline. The celebration has previously been held at the Longmont Museum, but Dike said SRL moved to the new venue to attract a “more diverse audience,” Dike said.

While the snowy weather pushed some activities inside, food trucks and the St. Vrain Mobile Innovation Lab remained parked outside the school for attendees who chose to brave the elements.“Our weather is telling us how important it is to protect our Earth,” said Mayor Joan Peck, who attended the event and gave opening remarks.

Several city and county representatives manned booths and took part in Saturday’s festivities. Boulder County Commissioner Marta Loachamin spoke to guests about the county’s sustainability initiatives and shared that both of her kids went to Timberline.

“Our youth are our future, and the fact that we’re here at a school today is really meaningful,” Loachamin said.

Guests could attend talks on environmentalism and conservation, such as a presentation on climate change led by Jim Butler, former director of the Global Monitoring Laboratory with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Butler discussed the rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and warned the audience of significant damage to our ecosystem if emissions aren’t scaled back and dealt with.

“It’s going to get worse if we don’t do something about it,” he said.

Shows on the school’s cafeteria stage included performances by the Timberline Mariachi Band and Grupo Folklorico Mexico Lindo dance group. The Sustainable Fashion Show, a new addition to the event, highlighted several models dressed in recycled and environmentally friendly outfits.

Dike said she was excited by Saturday’s turnout, which saw around 300 people attend within the first two hours.

“Each year it seems to just grow, evolve and continue to provide ways to educate the community,” she said.