Earth Day Festival

Tickets

Tickets – General Admission

Tickets can be reserved and/or purchased by visiting www.earthdayfestivalnm.com then clicking on “Tickets”.

Ticket prices are $5.00 for General Admission.

Free to anyone under 18 and students with a valid school ID.

Directions to Balloon Fiesta Park

Sid Cutter Pilot’s Pavilion is located on the field at Balloon Fiesta Park. Take Alameda west from I-25 and turn right off Alameda onto Balloon Fiesta Museum Drive. Proceed down Balloon Museum and continue past the Balloon Museum down to the Balloon Fiesta Field and the Sid Cutter Pilot’s Pavilion.

Parking

There will be reserved parking for volunteers, vendors and visitors traveling to the event in Hybrids and EV’s.

Schedule of Events

Front of Sid Cutter Pavilion

9:45 am – Navajo prayer by Robert M. Begay

10:00 am – Pavilion and Exhibit Booths Open

Speakers

Sid Cutter Pavilion - West side

10:30 am – 11:30: Keeping New Mexico in the Forefront of a Sustainable Future.

Moderator, Art Gardenswartz

12:00-12:45 pm - Sealing in the Savings - For a Comfortable, Stylish, and more Affordable home.

Description:

Houses waste a lot of energy and money. Installing adequate insulation, energy-efficient doors and windows and even window blinds can reduce your energy bills by up to 30%. They can also reduce the size and cost of a heat pump needed to heat and cool your home. The first step towards a more efficient home is an energy audit. This workshop will discuss the free programs, tax credits and rebates that make “weatherization” a highly cost-effective, but often overlooked, step towards substantial energy savings.

1:00 – 1:45 pm - Power Up! Residential Electrification 101

Description:

Lower your energy bills and avoid harmful indoor fumes by switching to high efficiency electric appliances. Heat pumps both heat and cool your home and do it 3-5 times more efficiently. They also heat your water and dry your clothes. Induction stoves can cook meals fast with easy cleanup. With generous tax credits and rebates from the Inflation Reduction Act, New Mexico state, and electricity providers, it is a great time to go electric. Learn how to get the most out of these incentives and what you need to know about your electrical system before you begin. We will also discuss how renters and limited-income residents can go electric too!

2:00 – 2:45 pm - It is Our Future! New Mexico Kids

Description:

Research shows that the outdoors is a resource for enhancing learning, social engagement, and health, and we at New Mexico Public Education Department, NMPED believe that outdoor learning opportunities should be available to all New Mexico students in every community. Experiences in nature and access to the outdoors are associated with greater health and wellbeing and academic success. The Outdoor Learning Initiative started during the 2022–23 academic year. During that year, ten districts and schools received start-up funds for their outdoor education programs, and now in the 2023-24 academic year, six districts and schools

are using start-up funds to implement new and innovative outdoor learning programs. The goal is to have an outdoor learning program in every school in New Mexico. Please join us for a panel discussion with students from these schools and districts and learn more about the sustainability practices that they are implementing in their schools and in their lives and how

they are sharing what they know with others around the state.

3:00 – 3:45 pm - Moderator, Baker Morrow. Nothing Helps the Earth Like a Tree

Description:

Our subject is trees and the role they play in making cities livable, beautiful, and functional.  What functions do they serve in their natural habitat (forests and woodlands), and how do they make towns and cities better living environments for people and animals?  What very useful roles do organizations like Tree New Mexico, the Native Plant Society, and the American Society of Landscape Architects play in encouraging homeowners and others to plant trees for shade, cooling, and improved urban quality?  How do we properly water and care for urban trees, and which species are likely to thrive in increasingly harsh climate conditions?  How do trees work in an urban landscape along with shrubs, ground covers, vines, and other plants to create a good city environment?