FRAMINGHAM -- With more than 80 displays, attractions and vendors, the Framingham Earth Day Festival is poised to deliver the green-living message to hundreds of environmentally attuned families this month.

The festival kicks off activities at 11 a.m. on the Framingham Centre Village Green, Edgell Road, Saturday, April 27 and continues to 3 p.m. In the event of stormy weather with heavy rains, the Festival will be moved to Framingham High School. If in doubt, check the Earth Day Website the day of the event.

With food, music, recycling, composting, kids’ activities, artisans and eco-friendly products and businesses, the third annual festival promises to be larger and more diverse than previous years.

“We want the Festival to be a chance to join together as a community, support local businesses, learn about how we can green-up Framingham, and have fun,” said Framingham Earth Day Festival President Donna Kramer Merritt.

The Festival will be an opportunity for area residents to recycle unwanted items such as bikes, electronic gear and batteries. Representatives from DPW will collect recyclables and transfer them to the Framingham Recycling Center.

Major attractions during the Festival on the Common and elsewhere in town include:

• Recycling of mercury products, batteries, electronic units, bicycles, eyeglasses, children’s clothing and baby accessories.

• Eco-friendly displays and vendors including solar energy companies, electric cars, healthy foods, wellness practitioners and local farm products as well as farm animals!

• Kids’ activities from face painting to eco-themed projects.

• Live musical performances ranging from blues and country to folk and soft rock;

• World Tai Chi & Qi Gong Day, 10 a.m. to noon, demonstrations and group practice of tai chi and qi gong, www.TQHI.org

• A Zero Waste event with all unconsumed food products composted or recycled!

• Clean Styrofoam collection at Grace Congregational Church, 76 Salem End Road, Framingham, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., www.refoamit.com

• Outdated and unwanted prescription drugs and medicines collection at the Framingham Police Station, 9 a.m. to noon, during Prescription Take Back Day. (508) 532-5915

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The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970 and is considered the beginning of a world-wide environmental awareness movement. A history of Earth Day can be found on the Earth Day Network Web site, http://www.earthday.org/earth-day-history-movement.

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Framingham Earth Day Festival would not be possible without the following event partners and supporters: Town of Framingham Recycling Center, Staples, ReFoamIt, Centre Music, The Gentle Place, Levine Design, Ameresco, Gordon Multimedia and LCA Trust.

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More information about the 2013 Framingham Earth Day can be found at http://www.framinghamearthday.org/ and https://www.facebook.com/FraminghamEarthDayFestival -- or contact:  Donna Kramer Merritt at:  (508) 277-9665, email: FraminghamEarthDay@gmail.com or  Bill Clapper at: (508) 380-3882 or email to: willwrite49@gmail.com

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