Volunteer, Learn and Celebrate the Planet this Earth Day in Colorado
DENVER (April 13, 2012) – More than one billion people from 192 countries will celebrate Earth Day worldwide this year, with Colorado putting its own twist on the action. In addition to the many celebrations across the state, Colorado offers an array of volunteering and learning vacations for visitors to better the Earth and themselves year round. Below is a sampling of the many ways visitors can gain knowledge and make an impact across the state. For more information visit www.COLORADO.com.
Earth Day Celebrations:
- The 2012 Earth Week & Mountain Area Earth Day Fair (April 16-21) in Evergreen, Colo. is one of the largest and most popular Earth Day celebrations in the state. The fair will kick off with a series of events aimed to inspire the community to go green and will feature more than 50 nonprofit organizations, businesses and agencies. www.ColoradoTransitionNetwork.org
- Denver’s 2012 Earth Day Fair (April 18) at the Denver City and County Building Plaza will focus on “savings for your wallet and our planet” by showcasing the actions and investments residents and businesses can make to save money and reduce their impact on the environment. www.Denvergov.org
- The Garden of the Gods Earth Day Celebration (April 21) honors Earth Day with an array of activities ranging from Native American dance performances to live birds of prey, and Pueblo's Greenway Nature Center to children’s craft activities and nature walks. www.GardenofGods.com
- The Fort Collins Earth Day Celebration (April 21) encourages the community to make efforts toward conserving the planet for future generations. The event features various activities including arts and crafts, live music, local food, a beer garden and more. www.SustainableLivingAssociation.org
- Boulder’s 10th Annual Earth Day 5k (April 22) is “The Greenest 5k in Boulder" and encourages visitors to dust off the running shoes and start spring training the green way. The run/walk starts at the Colorado University’s Research Park with all proceeds going to the Center for ReSource Conservation, a local non-profit committed to leading the community toward a more sustainable future. www.ConservationCenter.org
Volunteering Vacations:
- Spring Dude Ranch Trail Maintenance Week (May 13-19) at Sun Dance Trail Guest Ranch in Red Feather Lakes, Colo. offers an opportunity for guests to get their hands dirty by installing new low ropes challenge and obstacle courses, maintaining trails, training and riding new horses and more. www.SunDanceTrail.com
- Both YMCA of the Rockies’ properties, Estes Park Center and Snow Mountain Ranch, offer volunteer opportunities for many interests and abilities. A variety of positions ranging from trail groomer and hike master to grease monkey assistant and Nordic ski instructor are available. www.YMCARockies.org/volunteer.htm
- Colorado Mountain Club and the Colorado Trail Alliance have teamed up to offer weeklong trail rebuilding opportunities along the Colorado Trail this summer. The Colorado Trail is Colorado’s premier long distance trail, stretching nearly 500 miles from Denver to Durango through the spectacular Colorado Rocky Mountains comprised of lakes, creeks and diverse ecosystems. www.CMC.org
- The Fall Cattle Round-Up (September 16-22) at Latigo Trails Dude Ranch in Kremmling, Colo. invites guests to experience the Wild West first hand by helping local ranches with their annual cattle round-up. Highlights include cutting and team penning as the group learns what is involved in managing a herd of cattle. www.LatigoTrails.com
Learning Vacations:
- The Telluride Yoga Festival (July 12-15) aims to not only provide an enriching experience to yoga students of all abilities, but to also offer them the opportunity to have a positive impact on the world. Each year 25 percent of the festival's net proceeds are donated to a local non-profit whose mission is to help protect and preserve the earth. www.TellurdeYogaFestival.com
- The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center provides travelers with an opportunity to gain insight into the lives of the ancestral Pueblo Indians who inhabited the Mesa Verde region for more than 1,500 years through a weeklong Archaeology Research Program. www.CrowCanyon.org
- Vail Cascade Resort & Spa’s new “For the Love of Beer AND Food” program offers craft beer enthusiasts an opportunity to sample and learn about craft beer trends and the varying ingredients and characteristics that make each craft beer unique. www.VailCascade.com
- Box Canyon Lodge in Ouray, Colo. invites the whole family to take advantage of their “Family Adventure Day with San Juan Mountain Guides” package. The offer includes a rock climbing tutorial, zip lining across the Uncompaghre River Gorge and rappelling. www.BoxCanyonOuray.com
- Lifelong Learning in Boulder, Colo. offers an array of classes for visitors to cross an item off their bucket list, ranging from how to build a greenhouse using recycled material and planning green weddings and events, to artisanal cheese making and Colorado artisan spirits. www.BSVD.org/LLL
ABOUT COLORADO
Colorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational pursuits, a thriving arts scene, a rich cultural heritage, flavorful cuisine, and 26 renowned ski areas and resorts. The state's breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of seven major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 12 national parks and monuments, and 54 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet. For more information or a copy of the 2012 Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, visit www.COLORADO.com or call 1-800-COLORADO. Media are invited to visit the Colorado Media Room at www.COLORADO.com/media-room. Follow Colorado on Twitter at www.twitter.com/colorado or Facebook at www.facebook.com/visitcolorado.
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