ACES and partners to celebrate Earth Day early

Two conservation groups will team up with the city of Aspen on Friday to hold an Earth Day celebration a little early at Hallam Lake.

Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, the Community Office for Resource Efficiency and the city are holding their celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in honor of Earth Day, which is actually Friday. The event also will be used to ring in the Green Drinks season.

Libations and light snacks will be offered at the free, all-ages event. A variety of participating local organizations such as Aspen Historical Society, Aspen Skiing Co., Aspen TREE, Citizens Climate Lobby, Holy Cross Energy and WeCycle will host interactive Earth Day-themed activities including games, seed-potting, advocacy opportunities, giveaways, crafts and more.

“CORE is excited to partner with the city and ACES to host this community celebration,” Mona Newton, executive director of the Community Office for Resource Efficiency, said in a statement. “There are many opportunities for the public to engage in environmental programs in this valley. This event provides a fun and interactive setting for people to learn more and take action.”

This year’s event also marks the first Green Drinks of 2016. Green Drinks is an international trend that brings citizens interested in environmental issues together for informal gatherings. Aspen’s Green Drinks, organized by the City’s ZGreen initiative, is hosted monthly from April through November at local businesses and partner organizations in Aspen.

Participants are being urged to walk, bike, bus or carpool to ACES at Hallam Lake because parking is extremely limited. Two-hour free parking is available in the West End. To access the preserve from the West End, follow the paved trail behind the Red Brick building to the Nick DeWolfe Stairway to Hallam Lake.