Earth Day 2024 is officially a Monday, but on Sunday in Littleton, a corner of downtown will be buzzing with food, music, vendors and crafts to teach people how to live more sustainably.
This will be the third annual Earth Day event hosted by Juniper Seed Mercantile, a small, local business focused on handcrafted and sustainable home and personal care products.
Store owner Tiffany Norton said Earth Day is a fun way to introduce people to easy and affordable ways to live a more sustainable life.
“For me personally…every day is Earth Day,” she said. “My business is all about sustainability. But it’s a really important mobilization event. People get excited.”
Visitors can participate in a variety of activities in front of her store on South Nevada Street and in the Reinke Brothers parking lot across the street.
In addition to live music and face painting, local artist Emily Dykes will be at the event to teach families how to make toys from shipping boxes and other trash, Norton said.
Norton said staff from PlayForge and the makerspace Littleton Learning Lab are bringing in 3D laser printing and engraving machines that kids can use to make their own cutouts.
“If you design something digitally, they’ll show you how to do it. Or if you draw something on paper, they’ll scan it for you,” she said.
Norton said she wanted to highlight the fun ways people can make things themselves at the fair. She said many of the store owners in downtown Littleton who make their own products are a good example of this.
“We love being in downtown Littleton, which means we have a lot of manufacturers working here,” she said. “You can meet the people who make your clothes, the people who make your toys, the people who make your soaps and lotions and cleaning products. We believe that’s the most sustainable way to do it. .”
Representatives from local organizations and environmental groups, including Vibrant Littleton, Littleton Social Cycle and Compost Colorado, will also be in attendance to share information about the work they are doing in the area.
Bemis Public Library’s Bookmobile will also be participating in the event, offering visitors the opportunity to sign up for a library card, borrow books and read together.
Norton will be offering 50% off all refills in the store, allowing visitors to fill their own containers with household and personal care products like lotions and soaps.
Norton, who has been planning the event since January, said this is the biggest day of the year for her.
“I want to inspire[visitors]to try new things they’ve never thought of before,” she said. “What can I make from cardboard? Or can I bring in empty containers to refill the staples I buy at the grocery store or on Amazon?”
The first 100 participants will receive a Juniperseed Mercantile goodie bag filled with handcrafted body care items. Vegan food trucks will be on site during the event.
The event will be held on April 21st from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 5641A S. Nevada St. in the parking lot between South Nevada Street and South Prince Street.
