50th anniversary Earth Day celebrations canceled in Ann Arbor

The Huron River lined with trees in Ann Arbor (WDIV)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in Ann Arbor has been canceled due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Originally scheduled to take place in Gallup Park on April 19, the anniversary festival organizers announced the cancellation in a shared Facebook post.

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Per the Facebook post, organizers intend to move the anniversary festival to the spring of 2021.

The free, four-hour celebration suppose to have family-friendly activities, live animal demonstrations, recycling clinics, crafts, live entertainment, presentations on sustainability, agriculture and energy, as well as other activities.

The annual festival has been a collaborative effort of the Leslie Science and Nature Center, the City of Ann Arbor and Ann Arbor-based environmental nonprofits and organizations.

Additional Earth Day celebrations by the City Council and the University of Michigan have been canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The first Earth Day celebration in Ann Arbor took place on April 22 in 1970.

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About the Author

Sarah has worked for WDIV since June 2018. She covers community events, good eats and small businesses in Ann Arbor and has a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics from Grand Valley State University.