Celebrate the 5th Annual Micro*Fest: Let's Play! on Earth Day

By Debbie Hall

Earth Day’s annual worldwide celebration will be honored in the rural community of Sandy Valley, Nevada, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, with a welcoming, community-driven gathering designed for all ages. The free event will take place at Peace Park (690 Quartz Ave.), located next to the senior center, which will also serve as the rain site. Attendees can expect a comfortable setup with benches, bathrooms, and shaded areas available, though guests are encouraged to bring a stadium pad or lawn chair, along with small items for the event’s popular free swap tradition. In keeping with its relaxed, communal spirit, organizers remind participants: “Remember, bring your lunch!”

Mary Blake of Goodsprings Historical Society is the featured speaker at Earth Day 2024

This year’s celebration, Micro*Fest: Let’s Play!, will feature informal talks, supported by hands-on show-and-tell elements, highlighting past local efforts focused on air quality, water conservation, geology, and gardening. The afternoon will include an “old-timey tunes” sing-along, storytelling, games, and rock giveaways. There will also be a short “walk-n-talk” through Peace Park that honors local “water warrior” residents who helped secure protections for the region’s closed-basin aquifer. A free swap table will also be available, offering plants, seeds, rocks, tools, and other useful items to encourage reuse and sustainability.

Water Warriors on permanent display at the senior center, commissioned by Earth Day Sandy Valley, remembering residents who saved its aquifer.

Known as Sandy Valley Nevada Earth Day: Decade of Micro*Fests, the event was founded by resident Marianne Donnelly in memory of local developers Richard Bale and Drue Bale. Entirely volunteer-driven, the gathering maintains a no-vending, small-scale format that fosters a relaxed, picnic-style atmosphere centered on connection, education, and environmental appreciation.

First established in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes, Earth Day has grown into a global movement promoting environmental awareness and action. Its early success helped inspire landmark initiatives such as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the passage of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

Events like Sandy Valley’s Micro*Fest continue that legacy on a local level, encouraging community members to connect with nature and each other while embracing the role of environmental stewardship. For more information, call 702-723-0085.