Earth Day at Hope Farms, Family Festival & Picnic

The annual Recipe for Success Foundation Earth Day Family Festival and Picnic at Hope Farms offers a deliciously festive opportunity for young and old to connect the health of our planet with the natural cycle of growing food. Earth Day is the unofficial birthday of Hope Farms, which broke ground in 2016. Supporting Earth Day’s traditional ReUse, ReNew, ReCycle theme, the free Family Festival & Picnic will be on Saturday, April 6 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on the Foundation’s seven-acre urban farm located just minutes from downtown.

Hope Farms’ regular Saturday produce market will be enhanced by a curated collection of vendors filling the UnitedHealthcare Gathering Barn, offering small batch specialty foods, chef pop-ups, unique gifts and fine crafts.

A full schedule of kid-friendly activities including cooking and gardening classes, farm photo safaris, story time, arts and crafts, chicken and bee demonstrations, yoga, tai chi are scheduled throughout the day. The Foundation’s S.P.I.C.E. Guild will kick off the festivities with a Pancake Farm Breakfast from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for a suggested donation of $5.00 per person.

Hands-on classes in the Sysco Culinary Learning Station will feature the Foundation’s team of Healthy Eating Ambassadors joined by guest chefs, including Amy Anton of aaCooks and Kitchen Underground. The farm’s Robert and Janice McNair Foundation Children’s Garden will host planting and harvest adventures in its butterfly garden and salsa, pesto and pizza themed food growing beds. Photographer Katherine Lenhart will lead Farm Photo Safaris and VegOut! Brand Ambassadors will challenge your food literacy with games and prizes. There will be story time under the Lace Elm Tree where families are encouraged to picnic. DEFINE Body & Mind will offer free movement classes in the field and St. Arnold’s Brewery will host yard games while they pour samples of their Lawnmower Beer and root beer. Live demonstrations from HIVE Bee Farm and The Garden Hen will share the joys of farm-to-table living.