The annual Earth Day Festival was held at WACF in Syracuse today, Saturday, May 4. The event continues until 3 p.m. today. All photos by Phoebe Muthart.

By Phoebe Muthart
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — Fun for the whole family, the seventh annual Earth Day event was held at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation today, Saturday, May 4. There were 21 vendor tables so people could learn how to help protect the planet.

Pam Schumm said the number of vendors was the highest it has been since the Earth Day event started. With free admission, the first 250 visitors got a free lunch consisting of hot dogs, chips and water.

Activities are for all ages included raptor birds, arrowhead making, native seed balls, bird migration, wild spaces maps and more. Among the organizations taking place were the Soil Water and Conservation District, Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation, Syracuse Lions Club, Syracuse-Wawasee Garden Club and Syracuse Public Library, among others.

Attendees could also take a walk through the woods and enjoy looking at the wetlands from the amphitheater and the spring time views of the lake. Schumm, a WACF board member, said she was very pleased with the turn out and the great weather with temperatures in the 70s and sunny skies.

“Turn out has been very good,” she said. “It gives people a chance to get out in nature and for kids to get outside. This event is to showcase all that can be down outside. We have walking trails, and we want people to use the trails,” Schumm explained.

WACF has walking trails the public can use at any time. Earth Day Festival in Syracuse continues until 3 p.m. today. WACF is located at 11586 N. SR 13, Syracuse.

Enjoying a free lunch were from left Dominik Wilson, Shari Wilson, Caleb Wilson and Lennex Wilson, all of Milford.

Maggie Kenworthy, son, Miles Kenworthy-Hoy and Matt Hoy enjoyed the day’s event.

Kay Pylant, right, and Cindy Gackenheimer man the Monarch butterfly booth. Gackenheimer runs Gack’s Flutterby Gardens in Claypool.

Learning about rain barrels was Theo Yoder, 10, and Isabelle Snoddy, 10. Also pictured is Kaitlin Yoder, far left, of Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation.

Amanda Plank, director of the Syracuse-Wawasee Trails, enjoyed letting attendees know “life is better on the trail.”

From left are Kathy Wright, a Soil and Water Conservation District volunteer, Katie Macke and Ellie Macke. They were looking at a model of eco-friendly practices.