It’s almost here! This weekend there are so many great activities to choose from to celebrate Earth Day
with your family!

Earth Day started with an idea in 1962 by Senator Gaylord Nelson. The idea was to put the environment into the political limelight through a huge grassroots protest over the state of the environment. Nelson thought to use the great energy of the anti-war movement and infuse it into the environmental movement. By the time of the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, 20 million people were involved in their local communities due to the spread of the spontaneous grassroots organization. Now more than half a billion people participate in Earth Day activities each year.

Will you be joining them? Here is a sampling of activities from the Portland area:

Sat., April 19: City Repair Project presents “Dance of the Dinosaur,” a festival with music, food, kids’ activities and 150 vendors and educational booths, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. at Overlook Park, N Fremont St. at Interstate Ave., Portland. Free. www.cityrepair.org

Sat., April 19: Join Shift to Green, a 12-mile bike tour of Portland businesses taking steps to reduce global warming. Registration is at 9:30 a.m.; tour starts at 10 a.m. from EcoMotion, 1625 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland. Tour winds through inner Portland, visits five businesses and concludes at City Repair Project’s Earth Day celebration at Overlook Park in N Portland. $10 suggested donation covers t-shirt/food. Details at www.sierraclub.org/power2change/oregon/more/events.asp

Sat., April 19: Earth Day celebration at People’s Food Co-op offers workshops, tours, music (“scratchy vaudevillian 20’s and 30’s vocal jazz”) and free organic cotton tote bags while supplies last, noon-4 p.m. at the co-op, 3029 SE 21st Avenue (between SE Division St. and Powell Blvd.). Free. www.peoples.coop

Sat., April 19: Friends of Trees and SOLV will lead volunteers in weeding, mulching and watering newly-planted trees and plants, 9 a.m.-noon on the riverbank at Willamette Park, SW Macadam Ave. and Nebraska St., Portland. Free. To volunteer or find out about other events related to Earth Day: 503-282-8846 or www.friendsoftrees.org

Sun., April 20: Oregon Zoo presents “Party for the Planet,” Includes games, crafts and polar bears playing with Boomer Balls and ice blocks. Environmental film festival begins at noon (see listing below); additional film charge applies. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Rd, Portland. Requires Zoo admission; $6.75-$9.75. www.oregonzoo.org.

Sat., April 19/Sun., April 20: “Seeds of Science: A Look at Sustainability in the Food We Eat and Grow” at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. both days. OMSI is at 1945 S.E. Water Ave., Portland. Admission: $9-$11. www.omsi.edu/visit or 503-797-6674.

SOLV IT Earth Day Activities: Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism (SOLV) has organized over 100 Earth Day clean-up activities from Cathedral Park in North Portland to the South Waterfront area. You can choose from tree planting, litter pick-up, invasive plant removal, school yard landscaping, trail maintenance and watershed renewal, among other options. Saturday, April 19, 9:00am to 12:00pm www.solv.org/get-involved/event-registration