At the ATC headquarters Set up, (Left to Right) Amy McCormick (Assistant Director of Development), Volunteers Megan Bonfili and Enzo Bonfili, and Stacey Marshall (Director of Finance and Administration) hand out free t-shirts and ATC goods to Festival visitors.

On Saturday, April 25, Morgan’s Grove Park was flowing with music, fun, and laughter at the first Panhandle Earth Day Celebration, sponsored by Jefferson County Parks and Recreation.

At this family friendly event, local and environmentally friendly vendors and organizations were present, offering a variety of earth-friendly goods and services.

The weather held out for the festival, with afternoon highs reaching the upper 80s. The park offered many different opportunities to get active. Many were playing volleyball, soccer, or Frisbee in the fields. Musical entertainment was plenty, with the Speakeasy Boys, All Star Garage Band, Coal Mountain Ramblers, Bloody 9s, Moonstruck, Luke Johnson and Sam Felker.

Food artisans Allison Carse and Gregorio Lacerda, among others, were found cooking it up in the concession kitchen. The food offered included ice cream, organic chili dogs, falafel on greens, and brazilian juice. Blankets were spread all around the pavilion area, to make the most of the lazy afternoon, good food and tunes. A variety of people could be seen out, including everyone from families big and small, couples and gatherings of friends. Everyone appeared to be friendly and in good spirits.

It was easy to notice the green trend in full bloom at the Earth Day celebration on the sunny day. Many people could be seen carrying their eco-friendly water bottles, bags, or newly purchased goods. The celebration truly represented our area’s strong effort to treat our earth with respect so that it may nourish and protect us in return. The theme of the event seemed lost on no one, which was the most beautiful thing of all.

Festival food worker Allison Carse and her business partner Charmaine Landers are preparing to open up a new eatery called Alley Kat Moon Dogs early this May. It will be located where the old MiMi’s Ice Cream shop was, on German Street. They plan to stay open late, and offer a high quality, yet reasonably priced variety of hot dogs. It seems that the festival was a good measure of what’s to come this summer in Shepherdstown. All one had to do was look around and feel the energy to know that we live in a unique place that has an abundance to offer from the earth’s goodness.

At the Appalachian Trail headquarters stand, ATC employees and volunteers were handing out free T-shirts and other goods to passing festival goers. The A.T. headquarters can be found right in the town of Harpers Ferry. Amy McCormick, ATC assistant director of development, was giving out AT information at the stand. McCormick emphasized that “It’s important to be here in peoples’ backyards; people don’t realize that the headquarters is so close.” She went on to point out that the AT has over 400 rare and threatened species on its territory, which adds to the importance of spreading awareness.

Pang Tubhirun was found at her tent, which she shared with artist Lauren Beecham. Justin Pistore was checking out Tubhirun’s goods, with his Irish Setter named Sunshine. Tubhirun was selling her handmade “Pretty Little Fings” stuffed animals in her section of their tent. Beecham was offering a wide selection of artwork, which was all made from polarized photos. Pieces of her art included jewelry, jewelry boxes and bags.