On Saturday, April 20, Simpson County will host southern Kentucky’s only Earth Day Festival. The event, sponsored by the Franklin Rotary Club and the Franklin Favorite, hosts groups, organizations, and businesses joining together to provide information about preserving and protecting our environment. Activities are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the picturesque square on Main Street in downtown Franklin. It is the perfect setting to enjoy a fun day with family and friends exploring ways to have a positive impact on the environment by making a few simple changes at home, at work, and in your community. The event will take place rain or shine.
This year the Cherry Blossom Festival and the SOKY Earth Day Festival will join forces for an event that will be a celebration of the senses. Featured this day will be arts, crafts, music (including the Red River Fiddlers as well as others), plus an environmental element. Vendors will delight you with designs, beautiful music and ideas that will help attendees be more environmentally responsible.
The 11th Annual SOKY Earth Day Festival will begin Saturday morning with the Habitat for Humanity Pancake Breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. at the Franklin Presbyterian Church Cornerstone Building located at 201 N. College St. Tickets are $5 and proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity will also be sponsoring the Aluminum Can Challenge Competition. Save your cans at work or home and bring them for the weigh-in on Earth Day.
The fifth annual Square-to-Square Ride will also take place at this year’s event. This charity bicycle ride benefits Simpson County Literacy Center, an adult basic education center in Franklin. Routes through Simpson and Logan counties feature beautiful country roads with great pavement and rolling hills. The ride offers a 62-mile route and a 46-mile “square to square” route between Franklin and Adairville. Shorter 22 and 12-mile routes are also available. Register online for $40. Go to their website at www.square2squareride.com for the most up to date information.
The SOKY Earth Day Festival and the Cherry Blossom Festival will feature live music, artists doing demonstrations, kid’s activities sponsored by the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, local vendors, and lots of fun. Upon arriving stop by the Information Booth for your free SOKY Earth Day Festival reusable bag.
Clean out the closets, attic, and garage it is time for spring cleaning! Take documents that need shredding to the Knighthorst Shredding Company. They will shred up to five boxes per person of personal documents from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. At the same time, Shelby’s Recycling will be disposing of large items from your home. BGAMUG will even accept old computers.
Chaney’s Moo Wagon will be on the square ready to sell their newest and most popular Kentucky Proud ice cream flavors. Other vendors include the Tinsley’s Food in the Fast Lane food truck with carnival-style food items.
A new activity this year is a Big Blue Marble photo opportunity for your whole family. Snap a picture of your children holding the world in their hands or maybe their shoulders! Come and make memories at the SOKY Earth Day Festival.
What would an Earth Day celebration be without trees? Look no further than the Simpson County Conservation District booth. They are giving away FREE trees. There are many to choose from, so come take your pick!
Spring is in the air! Therefore, our thoughts go to spring planting. Make this year’s garden magical with Fehrle’s Perennials with trees and shrubs for sale, or take advantage of the Garden Spot Produce and Little Bent Farms who will have vegetable slips, heirloom seeds and herbs for sale. Little Bent Farms will also offer information on growing vegetables in an environmentally sustainable manner with no synthetic chemicals. F-S Farmer’s Market will be accepting registration for the 2019 Farmer’s Market Loyalty Club. F-S High School FFA will have beautiful plants for sale.
Got alpacas? We do! The Golden Fleece 4-H Club will be there. Julia and Larry Brown, owners of Feathers and Friends, will have their alpacas on sight to see and pet. They will also be selling dryer balls made by club members and natural fertilizer for houseplants, as well as offering educational information about these earth friendly animals. Locally produced yarn, fiber samples and products will be available.
Shop local in the Marketplace! You will find plenty of homegrown produce, healthy living products, and handmade craft items. Shop McClain Farms for homemade bread and crafts, The Macedonia Homestead for fresh eggs, Garden Spot Produce for herbs and The Air Plant Patch & the Blooming Tea Batch for air plants and seasonings. Many of the items will be Kentucky Proud certified.
Returning to the Marketplace will be Ma Barker’s Bow Wow Biscuits. Grab some homemade dog treats for that special canine in your life! Also available: handmade items and pet crafts.
Several information booths and exhibitors will provide demonstrations and information on all things green and earth friendly in Kentucky. The Simpson County Extension Homemakers will be giving away recipes for earth friendly cleaning products that you can make at home. Visit WRREC booth for energy saving tips, seed packets and renewables. Check out John’s Pool Services, LLC to learn about the benefits of environmentally friendly salt-water pools over traditional pools.
Come, visit the festival on April 20 to learn more about protecting our environment and enjoy fun activities with your child while identifying steps you and your family can take to reduce their carbon footprint.
While in Franklin, check out our newest cafés and boutiques around the square! Be sure and visit the Gallery on the Square to see what local artists have put together using recycled materials. In previous years, they have held a recycled dress project and this year participants are creating upcycled fashion accessories. Contact Lisa Deavers at 270-586-8055 or email@galleryonthesquare.org for more information.
The local committee planning the activities is a grassroots group organized to promote awareness of environmental topics with activities coordinated by Community Education Simpson County Schools and the Simpson County Extension Service. For more information contact Christy Ramey at 270-586-4484 or email chramey@uky.edu.