Page last updated on April 15, 2024 at 4:00 pm
About the Event
The City of Bloomington will be hosting the second annual Bike to Earth Day event at Switchyard Park on Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 1:00-5:00pm. The event is free and open to the public, and will feature live music, food and drinks, local vendors, raffles, tree giveaways, and more. This years event is hosted as a joint effort between the Department of Economic and Sustainable Development, Go Bloomington, and the Parks and Recreation Department. Registration is not required.
It is highly encouraged that residents bike to the event instead of driving to help promote alternative transportation and elimination of emissions from transportation as part of the event. Switchyard Park is equipped with over 120 Bike Racks available for bike parking during the event. Biking trails to get to the Pavilion are highly accessible via the B-Line. See below for access to park maps.
Event Activities
This event will feature a wide range of activities in addition to live music, food, and vendors.
- Welcome Speech from Mayor Thomson: Join us at 1:00 to hear some welcoming words from Bloomington's new Mayor, Kerry Thomson
- Climate Change Education: Throughout the day, the Department of Economic and Sustainable Development will host informational discussions on how residents can consider climate action, with two featured discussions on Climate Change and Health and Going Green with Battery Powered Lawn Equipment
- Eco Heroes Art Competition: Join representatives from the Environmental Commission to present prizes to the winners of the 2024 Eco-Heroes Art Contest. The 2024 theme is "Drops to Drains: Eco-Heroes Working with the City on Stormwater Strains!” This theme is intended to inform communities about the importance of proper stormwater management.
- EV Ride and Drive: Greater Indiana Clean Cities will be present, along with a variety of auto vendors, to discuss the opportunities to transition to an electric vehicle. Residents will have the opportunity to test out EV's and learn more about access to charging from the experts. EV owners interested in bringing their cars to talk with others about their experience should fill out the EV Owner Registration Form.
- Native Tree Seedling Giveaway: Pick up a free tree seedling to plant and grow your own tree! Help sequester emissions in Bloomington and expand our native tree canopy.
- Volunteer Recognition: Join representatives from the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department as we recognize our Adopt program volunteers for all of their hard work! In this short, 30 minute ceremony, we'll recognize the dedicated volunteers from our Adopt-a-Greenspace, Adopt-a-Stream, and Adopt-a-Trail programs and thank them for all they do for our shared community.
Go Bloomington
Our Go Bloomington partner is the City’s platform for alternative mobility options to advance a more sustainable Bloomington by lowering the number of single occupancy vehicles in our community. In advance of National Bike Month (May), Go Bloomington will be co-hosting the Earth Day event, offering registrants the opportunity to be entered into an e-bike giveaway (awarded September 2024) and more. Register for Go Bloomington to learn more.
Vendors
The Bike to Earth Day event will invite a diverse selection of local vendors that represent sustainability initiatives, environmental groups, or the clean energy/transportation sector. Applications to participate as a local vendor are now closed and all spots have been filled. For any additional questions regarding participation, please contact sustain@bloomington.in.gov.
Additional Earth Day Initiatives
In addition to attending the City's Earth Day Celebration, residents can also enjoy free tree seedlings (1 per family) as part of the Waste Reduction District's Earth Day and Arbor Day giveaways. This year, tree giveaways will be for Common Chokecherry and Buttonbush. Planting native trees helps support the local ecosystem, attract pollinators, mitigate extreme heat, enhance water quality, and more! Pick up your free tree seedling at the Admin Building at South Walnut Recycling Center from 8:30am - 5:00pm, April 22 - 26.