Mesa’s free family-friendly spring party in the park will celebrate Earth Day, with live music and many fun activities for people of all ages. Celebrate Mesa returns to Pioneer Park, 526 E. Main St., on Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event celebrates Earth Day with a Living Green Village featuring nearly 30 exhibitors. Residents attending Celebrate Mesa can learn about gardening, tree care, composting, recycling, energy and water conservation and more. Native Americans Tony and Violet Duncan will display their Water = Life story walk and provide hoop dance performances. EVIT (East Valley Institute of Technology) students will have their Laundry Lab-EVIT Fashion Program featuring zero-waste garments and accessories.
New this year at Celebrate Mesa is Deb’s Dragons Interactive Wildlife Encounter with snakes, lizards and other reptiles. Live entertainment includes performances from two youth mariachi bands: Mariachi Sones del Desierto from Desert Sands Music and Mariachi Juvenil; plus Ollin Yoliztli Dance Company from the Ollin Yoliiztli Mexican Culture, Dance and Arts Institute and Los Waukis Andinos presenting folk and traditional music from the Andes region of South America.
Children attending Celebrate Mesa can visit the petting zoo, enjoy carnival games and rides, and climb a rock wall. Visits from the Encanto characters, painting classes, archery tag, a game truck, food trucks and more round up the fun activities for the whole family.
City departments will have booths with information and fun, interactive activities for children. The Mesa Police Air Unit and a Mesa Fire and Medical Department vehicle will be on display.
Free raffle prizes include a stay at the Delta Hotel in downtown Mesa, a $100 gift card from Fat Cats, a What-A-Burger gift basket, golf passes at Dobson Ranch and tickets to the Mesa Amp.
Admission and parking are free but there is a $5 fee for unlimited access to the carnival rides including Pirates Revenge, Mechanical Meltdown and Ballistic Swing, plus the rock climbing wall.
Celebrate Mesa is made possible by the City of Mesa; Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities; Mesa Recycles; Foundation for Mesa Parks and Recreation; SRP; Apache Lake; Renewal by Andersen; Legacy Traditional Schools; Somos Dental Orthodontics; Vantage West Credit Union; Fry’s and Dental Depot.
For more information, visit www.celebratemesa.com.