What started as a private event in 1999 – with only 100 attendees and 10 exhibits – has now flourished into a family favorite attraction pulling in nearly 10,000 people a year. On Saturday, Apr. 13, the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation (CBBF) invites the public to Heritage Park for the 25th Annual Earth Day – Bay Day festival. Coastal Bend residents won’t want to miss this free event filled with community, education and environmental fun.
“[We] bring in all different types of organizations, academic programs and community services ultimately have a more meaningful and direct impact on our community,” shared CBBF Executive Vice President Sandi Hart.
Earth Day – Bay Day began as a private event hosted by CCBF and the City of Corpus Christi to honor the Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge namesakes – Pat Suter and her late husband, Hans – for their lifetime service of protecting the area’s natural habitats. A couple of years later, Tereas Carrillo was hired as the executive director of CBBF; along with her, she brought new ideas to encourage community and education, opening the event up to the public for free. Following the festival’s expansion, each year would be commemorated with a specially made poster created by local artists. As this year’s festival marks its 25th anniversary, the Foundation wanted the 2024 poster, created by local graphic design student Grace Eaton, to showcase and celebrate all the previous year’s posters.
“[I found inspiration from] archival jazz and classical music festival posters from throughout the years. A lot of these posters from the 80s and 90s leaned into gridded designs inspired by the teachings of the Bauhaus and Swiss designers,” Eaton explained. “I [also] wanted to make sure the poster still represented Corpus Christi and the CBBF, as well as the heart of the Earth Day Bay Day.”
As for what event attendees can expect from this year’s festival, over 65 exhibitors with nature crafts, games, giveaways and food will be on site. Guests can also enjoy a showing of “Birds of Prey” from Wild Sky Productions and animal presentations from Gladys Porter Zoo. Families can check out the Youth Odyssey climbing rock wall, the Texas Parks & Wildlife coastal expo marine life touch tanks, Fishing’s Future’s catch and release fishpond and the PORTable Learning Lab, all while listening to live music by The Deadbeats. Furthermore, the event includes animal adoptions, an electric vehicle display and free emissions testing. Plus, Valero is hosting a plant giveaway with 2,000 plants in stock.
Earth Day – Bay Day brings the public together through education and community while valuing Corpus Christi wildlife and its inhabitants. Stop by Heritage Park from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. this Saturday for a free, action-packed festival celebrating 25 years of environmental awareness in the Coastal Bend.
