This morning, driving back from my run at El Moro, I had to divert to the super secret side roads we locals use for summer time traffic sanity. Whenever this event occurs, I consider it the first day of summer in Laguna Beach. And it is a beauty, boy howdy.
But before we move into the whole Summertime coverage here in Laguna Beach, let’s talk first about what we can all do in honor of Earth Day (April 22) in Laguna Beach!
[singlepic id=216 w=320 h=240 float=right]
Celebrate Earth Day by gettin’ a little dirty
It was a perfect morning for folks to get out and do their pre-Earth Day thing at El Moro. Earth Day is officially this coming Friday, April 22nd, but people are kicking in early to do their part, and it’s a beautiful thing to see.
The volunteer day at El Moro began at about 9:00 and clean up continues through about noon. The same kind of pre-Earth Day activity is going on at Main Beach in Laguna, with volunteers meeting at 8:00 to do massive clean up/pick up till sunset today (Saturday).
Celebrate Earth Day by celebrating one of our largest ecosystems – Kelp!
In the same place, same day (Saturday), we also have a cool kind of festival going on at Main Beach today, too – the annual KelpFest is back! Looking to be about three times’ the size from last year, the KelpFest celebrates the return of the giant kelp forests just off the coasts of Laguna Beach. (As an outrigger paddler, they’re not necessarily fun to tangle with, but it IS great to see them regenerating, nonetheless.) For about two decades, the kelp forests were in serious decline, but over the last eight or nine years, thousands of people and non-profit orgs have gotten involved in restoring these critical habitats. In fact, kelp forests are considered to be one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. So, today, you can trot on down to the KelpFest for educational exhibits, kayak trips out to the forests, live performances and more. (Seriously. Where else in the world does someone invite you to a KelpFest?)
Celebrate Earth Day with our fabulous Laguna La Vida Full Moon Drum Circle, Sun, April 17th, Aliso State Beach, 7 – 10 p.m.
[singlepic id=218 w=320 h=240 float=left] I’ve written before about Billy Fried’s fabulous full moon drum circle gathering each month. What better time, though, than to join this crowd of drumming enthusiasts as we enter a full week of Earth Day activities? This event is a phenomenal hoot. All (or no) skill levels in drumming are welcome. If you’ve got a drum, bring it on down. And whether you have s drum or not, bring firewood.
Other Earth Day events going on in and around Laguna Beach in the week ahead:
April 22 – Official Earth Day Hike, 9 a.m., Nix Nature Center
In Laguna Canyon, the new Nix Nature Center sits at Little Sycamore Canyon, just north of the tollroad (73) or 3.5 miles south of the 405. Park in their lot for just $3 and enjoy a guided hike. It’s a cool way to celebrate Earth, I think. Reservations are required at (949) 497-8324.
April 22 – “Make a difference” Ecotour and Clean-up with OC Wildlife & Beach Tours. 8 a.m. – noon
Also April 23, 8:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Enjoy a docent-led Tide Pool Ecotour and help with clean up along the way. For each reservation, OC Wildlife donates $3 to Laguna Beach’s own Marine Mammal Center (where we help sea lions and seals get their flippers back under them). This Tidepool Tour is always a popular deal, so be sure to make a reservation fast at (949) 500-6981.
April 23 – Earth Day: Challenge & Reward Concert
If you missed out on the festivities at Main Beach this Saturday, you get another chance to join the throng for cleanup and follow-up concert with many of So Cal’s most talented musicians at the Hotel Laguna. Join other Earth Day celebrators in the “challenge” to clean all of Laguna Beach in a single day. Pre-sale tickets are $20 (50% off when you have 4 volunteers in a group) by contacting Rick@helpbluewater.com
The concert at the Hotel Laguna is $20 and $10 for “Challenge” volunteers. It revs up at 6:00 p.m. and rocks till about 10 p.m.
I’ll be adding more Earth Day treats in the week ahead. You there – out there – if you have an event I haven’t covered, by all means, CONTACT ME! DianeArmitage@cox.net
P.S. If you haven’t yet subscribed to my NEW subscription form on the site, go there today. This gets you in the V.I.P. door for upcoming special deals, coupons and unpublished sales in Laguna Beach!