Thousands celebrate 20th Earth Day in Indy

It might not have been sunny, but Mother Nature held off on the rain for the 20th annual Earth Day Indiana Festival on Saturday at White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis.

From vendors to activists to people just looking to have fun, tens of thousands of participants filled the park with laughter, chatter and music.

“We are one of the largest Earth Day events in the country,” said EDI Executive Director Stephen Sellers, who estimated this year’s celebration would beat last year’s 30,000 attendants, a record high in itself.

Sellers said he stopped counting the number of tables at 130.

“I’d say we’re at about 136 exhibits,” he said. “I had to turn away about 30 exhibits.”

J.D. Guinn, who co-owns the eco-friendly store Celery Street, said he’d been at Cincinnati’s Earth Day celebration earlier in the week and described it as “a lot smaller and not as well organized” as the one in Indianapolis.

Celery Street’s products include purses made of old seat belts, pop-tab earrings and bangle bracelets created from recycled magazines.

Pax4u attended, with ergonomic bags that sit on the hips, rather than the shoulders, some of which are made out of reconstituted leather from old jackets.

Toasty Baby’s table advertised the company’s cloth diapers, while fair-trade store Illuminating Nations Through Offering an Opportunity sold scarves, jewelry and other items from artisans around the world.

Meanwhile, Jenifer Phares and Kim Doss of OmniSource metal recycling encouraged people to guess how many crushed cans were in their bundle.

The winner received signed Indianapolis Colts merchandise.

“This is our final product,” Doss said. “It takes 28 cans to make a pound.”

House of Representatives member Andre Carson spoke briefly to his district’s constituents, encouraging them to hold their elected officials responsible for environmental policy.

The 6’3” Carson joked that auto makers “need to work on their hybrid cars — I can’t fit in them.”

Dogs were out in droves with their humans, including the Indiana Sheltie Rescue and Greyhound Pets of America, which adopts members of the breed after the dogs retire from racing in order to avoid euthanization for the four-legged pets.

Ozzie, a pug rescued from a south side shelter, came with his owners, Cindy and Steve Reece.

Cindy Reece said the highlights of the day for her included the dogs and the free tree saplings available at various tables.

Beyond man’s best friend, non-profit group Animalia brought a parakeet, skunk, tortoise and other members of the animal kingdom — for which the group is named in scientific Latin — for children to pet.

Music for the event was provided by local groups Mars or the Moon, The Peoples’ Voice, Acoustic Catfish, Sarah Grain and Friends, Deep Fryed Acoustiblasters and the Blue Hound Underground.

Food vendors such as Bazbeaux Pizza and Coco Bongos drinks lined part of the bridge over the river.

Non-environmental causes were represented as well.

Petitions circulated to repeal the military Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy regarding gay soldiers.

The festival, which has been held on the American Legion Mall in recent years, was moved to the state park in the heart of the city, which Sellers said has been a longtime goal.

“This is the premier outdoor destination in downtown Indianapolis,” he said.