Surrey celebrated Earth Day at Party for the Planet
People of all ages enjoyed activities and performances while becoming more environmentally friendly
Attendees celebrated sustainability at the City of Surrey's annual Earth Day event, Party for the Planet, on April 29. (Brylian Marin)
Surrey residents and locals celebrated Earth Day under the sun on April 29 at Party for the Planet, the largest Earth Day event in Western Canada.
Hosted by the City of Surrey at the Surrey Civic Plaza from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, the event attracted over 10,000 attendees, and featured live performances, educational environmental workshops, exhibitor booths, and food trucks. This was Party for the Planet’s 12th annual celebration, and admission was free for everyone.
“[Party for the Planet] started as an initiative by the city and acts as an event that showcases different city departments and their environmental programs,” says Jenna Kuzemski, senior marketing and events specialist for the City of Surrey.
“If you’re interested or curious about the environment, I think that you’ll definitely get what you’re looking for [at the event] and meet other like minded people.”
Music, theatric, and dance performances from local artists and acts such as Rebecca Sichon, CircusWest, and North Surrey Dance took place at three different stages, and environmental workshop activities ranged from planting native pollinators to piecing together solar light mason jars.
“[Party for the Planet] offers the community a chance to connect with one another and to learn about environmental initiatives from various city groups,” Kuzemski says.
“It allows residents to feel connected to their community, learn about what the city and businesses are doing to support sustainability, and then also [enjoy] a day of free entertainment.”
The event also featured a plant sale and marketplace full of local business vendors selling sustainable products.
One of the attendees, Glen Russell, learned about the event at Surrey’s Nature Centre, a space to enjoy and learn about local wildlife.
Russel says he attended the “How to Make Rope from Plants in Your Garden” workshop with EartHand Gleaners, participated in some breakdancing at the event’s Community Stage, and chatted with other attendees about environmental issues.
“It’s good for the public to mix and get to talk, not necessarily [about] what exactly is happening here, but just to have a good time because they’ll think about it later on, what they saw, and talk about it to other people, particularly if they had some fun,” he says.
April 22 marks Earth Day, but Kuzemski says the city decided to host Party for the Planet a week later due to the Surrey Vaisakhi parade held the previous weekend.
“[The parade] takes up a lot of the city’s resources, and a lot of people attend that event. So, we just try to stagger with that event to ensure that residents are able to attend both,” she says.
“Also, it’s good because we’re able to take advantage of the sunny weather, and April is actually Earth Month, every day should be Earth Day. So, it’s a good opportunity for people to come out regardless of the day and learn.”
