Royal Oak once again hosts county Earth Day event

ROYAL OAK — Earth Day is coming up fast, and to help spread the word on sustainability and environmental awareness, Oakland County will be hosting a Climate March, Rally and Fair from 3 to 7 p.m. April 26 at the Royal Oak Farmers Market, 316 E. 11 Mile Road.

According to Amanda Costello, organizer for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Earth Day 2025 is more important than ever.

“It’s not going to be a regular Earth Day,” Costello said, “because if you look at a lot of the things coming from Washington that aren’t friendly to addressing climate change, and are in fact trying to reverse a lot of the efforts that have been made to address climate change.”

The event will feature a rally, a march through downtown Royal Oak and a fair including a new specialized kids section.

“This event has always been something that families can come to, but we’re trying to make sure that it’s as accessible to children and families as possible,” Costello said. “We’re introducing a children’s section, so that it will have hands-on activities so that young people can start to build a relationship with their environment and understand why taking care of it is so important.”

The climate rally and march will begin at 3 p.m. and go until 4:30 p.m. The Earth fair will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

Also new this year is the theme of “Journey to Climate Action,” which plays into the fair in the form of passports.

Each attendee will receive a passport and use that passport to “travel” to each vendor. Vendors will be giving out information, sustainability products and more.

“The passport essentially guides them throughout the fair to talk to someone who has an environmentally friendly product and to learn about the product,” Costello said. “Or to take action at one of our action stations, to learn about an environmental effort that’s going on and figure out how to join that.”

Woody Gontina, planning commissioner and chair of the Royal Oak environmental advisory board, said that the event will be showcasing some important speakers and vendors at the event.

“We typically have some pretty big-name relevant speakers that come to talk about sustainability and get the crowd sort of revved up before going on the march to help raise awareness for climate issues,” Gontina said. “This year we have Mayor Michael Fournier from Royal Oak; Jim Nash, who is the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner; Dave Coulter, Oakland County executive; and (state) Representative Natalie Price.”

Gontina said there are still a few invitations outstanding, so more speakers are yet to be announced.

The vendors will be sorted into different categories. According to Gontina, the categories are: advocacy, education, sustainable services, and products and technology.

“Of course we have advocacy groups like EDF Action and (Michigan League of Conservation Voters),” Gontina said. “Our board will have a table there, like the environmental advisory board, so we have a wide variety of sustainability-related vendors for people to come and check out.”

Costello believes that this event is an opportunity to learn more about environmental issues.

“We know people are seeing what’s going on and are going to see what’s going on in the future, and they’re going to want to do something,” Costello said. “They are going to want to have a place where they can come together and show that they care about the environment, and so that’s what we want to do is offer a space for them to go on that journey and actually take action.”

“Everyone is welcome to this event, whether you’re 5 or your 70, there’s something for you at this event and a way to come together and take action and show that we care about this so our leaders actually know they need to listen to us,” Costello said.

For more information, visit turnoaklandcountygreen.com/oakland-county-march.