SpotTheRedhead | London Travel Blogger

If I were to describe my hometown of Claremont, CA, it would be…hippie-loving, freedom-chanting, charming, progressive, little gem of a town.

Imagine the white picket fence, historical kind of downtown that you see in all the movies, and then add a bunch of authentic artists, hipstery college kids, and entrepreneurs.
>> This video explains it better than I do! <<

So, when Earth Day rolls around, you better believe we celebrate the best way we know how: A family-fun festival!

April 23, 2016. You’d be hard pressed to find a more beautiful, Claremont-ian kind of day.

Main street Indian Hill and 2nd Street is where I found the Claremont Earth Day Festival. Parking is nowhere to be seen, but in true Claremont fashion, everyone rode their bicycles. It is Earth Day after all!

There were crowds of families, strumming guitarists, dancing children, craft tables, organic vegetable farmers, organic strawberry and peach jam-makers… The list goes on and on! It feels like a beautiful, earth-conscious fairytale as you walk down mainstreet.

There were so many things to look at, let me break it down by category for you: Kids, Booths, Entertainment, People, and Puppies. Keep reading for puppy photos!

“YES, Kids CAN!”-A Wonderland

I was talking to a woman from the Chaparral Elementary School Garden Booth and I commented that there were SO many children and so many cute crafts/games for them to participate in. “We are all about teaching them to care for the Earth from an early age and how to start their own sustainable gardens” she said.

At her booth, she showed me that she teaches her students how to plant fava beans, broccoli, carrots, Swiss chard, and even kale!

Other activities for kids include finger-painting, face-painting, foosball games, a globe mascot, contests and prizes, and sticker collecting!

Booths of Every Different Flavor

Talk about options!
I was wooed by the handsome homemade jam maker, who quoted Shakespeare to me while he told me that his strawberry and peach jam was “irresistible.” I marveled at the unique pottery, beautiful textiles, and hand-crafted jewelry. I could not stop sampling the ‘*virgin* vegan, gluten free Sangria’, which tasted like honey-cinnamon heaven. I laughed at the cute, stuffed vegetables that Ikea brought along and made their workers pose with them for a photo. The natural soaps, body-oils, and candles made my wallet cry, but my heart sing. The Claremont Democrats brought along cupcakes to pair with their BERNIE and HILARY buttons. I could go on and on about what you’ll experience at the Festival,but I would rather you visit next year and see for yourself!

FOOD- The #1 reason to come to this festival…. right? 😉

I’m sorry, I suck. I do not know the name of this Food Truck. Maybe a reader can help me out with that. What I DO KNOW, is that the truck was PACKED and the food smelled AMAZING. There were burgers, grilled cheese, bacon, but ALSO lots of VEGAN and VEGETARIAN options. There were samplings of jam, sangria, organic vegetables and others things to try at all the booths. Last but not least, did I mention all of the charming restaurants downtown? The Village Grill, La Parolaccia Italian, Sacas Mediterranean, and BUA Thai food are amazing- just to name a few.
Claremont has gotcha covered in the food department, fam!

Snapshots of the locals

 

Here’s a quick recap on what to see, what you can eat, the cute puppies you can pet, and the beautiful music you can hear at the Claremont Earth Day Celebration.

Booths include, but not limited to:

• Library
• Natural lotion, candles, soaps
• Prison book project
• Chaparral gardens
• Claremont Colleges for Sustainability
• Crop Circles and Alien Life Proof
• Organic Sangria Booth
• Organic Jam
• Water H20 Project
• Kids Crafts
• Mosaics & Pottery
• Claremont Democrats
• Beautiful Jewelry and Textiles
• Food Trucks

(No, I didn’t write the exact names of the booths, I was too busy enjoying! This is just for the general idea of what you will find)

The entertainment included:

• JGrizz Band
• Beautiful, Acoustic Guitar Player
• Cool, acoustic YA band from Pitzer college
• Amazing dancers with feathered headdresses

The Puppies of Claremont (because, duh!)

Can we just PAWS…. for a minute? 😉 This dog (pictured above) is silently screaming… ugh get me outta here.

Also, I might be biased but Otter-Pop (pictured below) may just be the cutest dog in Claremont. All the little girls loved petting her and chasing her around. What a darling. (Yes, she’s mine haha #proudpetparent)

I wish I looked half as cool as these dogs look in their Sunnies.Just melt my heart why don’t ya!

IF YOU MISSED IT- it’s okay, this is an ANNUAL FESTIVAL! Mark it in your calendars STAT.

It was the kind of day where you think, “Maybe, just maybe, we could reverse the effects of climate change and actually save this world.” It’s not always about the big things you do to care for the planet, it’s about how you do your own part, at your own pace. 

Let’s not get discouraged, lets celebrate the small, powerful changes that we are making by talking about #EARTHDAY. Make sure you visit Claremont, CA next Earth Day and enjoy this celebration.

Spot you soon,
Red

I hope you all enjoyed the photos from this year’s Earth Day Celebration! If you enjoyed the story and the photos, please LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to my Travel Blog!

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