The Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library is hosting the third annual Earth Day Fest on Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the library lawn (rain location: Boothbay Harbor Fire House).

Please join us and ten other local institutions to celebrate a healthy planet Earth!

Is a bug an insect? Is a spider a bug? Chewonki’s “Bugmobile” will transport the world of arthropods — insects and their relatives — to Earth Day Fest at 11 a.m.

Using models, costumes, and live specimens, they will explain the unique characteristics of four major groups of arthropods. Their live “bug” species will introduce participants to some of the fascinating adaptations essential for survival, such as mimicry, camouflage, armor, and the use of venom.

Following Chewonki’s presentation, Crow Point Yoga Studio will offer a family yoga class in the upstairs Community Room at noon. Bring your own mat or use one of the library’s blankets to practice this millennia-old, low-environmental-impact workout.

The rest of the Earth Day participants will be on the lawn at their booths continuously from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., ready to show you how their work intersects with our environment.

Want to learn more about how deep-sea microbes affect the planet? Stop by and visit Dr. Anne Booker, a microbiologist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences who studies the microbes that live deep within the ocean and how they influence ocean health. Bigelow Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit research institute located on the Damariscotta River estuary in East Boothbay. Their research ranges from the microscopic life at the bottom of marine food webs to large-scale ocean processes that affect the entire globe.

Curious about composting? The Anchor Church is committed to “creation care” and is ready to show you more about the magic of turning household waste into healthy soil.

The Lincoln County Gleaners are back for a second year. Come and learn about how the gleaners are recovering produce from local farms in Lincoln County to help feed hungry people, and find out how you can become a volunteer. Plus, sample a snack made from gleaned food.

One of the goals at the Boothbay Sea and Science Center is to encourage the responsible use and long-term stewardship of the ocean and its resources by cultivating a greater understanding and appreciation of the coastal environment and maritime history. To that end, they will present “Whose Trash Is This?” and invite one and all to join them in “up-cycling” cups, lids, bowls, etc. into unique and fun works of art!

The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is back this year as well. Come and learn all about seeds as we dissect a bean and make seed pod prints in clay.

Did you know every minute, one garbage truck’s worth of plastic makes its way into our oceans? Do you think it’s crazy that we have a material that takes at least 500 years to decompose, and we use it to make disposable containers? Plastic Fee Peninsula is a new group in town who can’t wait to show us all about alternatives to plastic, and how we all can cut down on the amount of plastic waste that we produce.

The Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District fights on the front lines of the battle to keep our Earth clean and healthy. Stop by their booth to find out what they’re doing with your trash, how to make sure your recyclables actually get recycled, and what actually becomes of your old refrigerator.

Some say that the greatest human and environmental health achievement was the creation of modern sewage treatment facilities, but few of us understand where our water goes once it heads down our drains. Learn all about wastewater treatment and what is and isn’t safe to dump down your drain with the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District.

Of course, the Boothbay Region Land Trust would never miss an Earth-focused event! They’ll be with us to spread information about the Boothbay Region preserves and teach about our flora and fauna. Stop by their booth to see and touch pelts, bones, seeds, cones, rocks, and other natural objects from our region.

We all live in Maine because we love the natural beauty of our planet, so don’t miss your chance to get out and celebrate it!