Local Earth Day festival promotes sustainability at 13th annual Earth Day festival

By Saige Klein

Blog Content Contributor

SAN MARCOS — San Marcos promoted sustainable development by hosting its 13th annual Earth Day festival last Saturday.

The event featured a variety of local vendors, free glass-bottom boat tours and a blessing led by the Indigenous Cultures Institute. Organizers said the festival aimed to connect community members while promoting sustainable practices and honoring land with deep roots in Indigenous history.

Earth Day is a global event observed April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection, including conserving natural resources and addressing climate change.

Miranda Wait, deputy director of the Spring Lake Education Program at the Meadows Center and host of the San Marcos Earth Day festival, said she is committed to promoting sustainability across local communities.

“Spring Lake is one of the most ecological places in the area,” Wait said. “Our main goal is to inspire people and open up their eyes to new experiences, new organizations, and have a more eco-friendly event that isn’t just focused on consumption.”

The festival began with a blessing from the Indigenous Cultures Institute, followed by a reading from Maria Rocha of her children’s book, Napako: Our Journey, based on the Coahuiltecan creation story.

Bobbie Garza-Hernandez, a community engagement representative with the Indigenous Cultures Institute, said honoring sacred land is central to the organization’s mission.

“This area has been occupied by Indigenous people for almost 14,000 years,” Garza-Hernandez said. “The Coahuiltecan people have a connection with the sacred springs, Spring Lake, because it is the place where the creation story begins.”

The Earth Day festival served as a collaborative effort to connect community members while promoting sustainable practices that honor land rooted in Indigenous Coahuiltecan history.

For more information, visit https://indigenouscultures.org.