Bellevue’s Arbor Day-Earth Day event, a fixture at Lewis Creek Park the last few years, will be at the Bellevue Botanical Garden this year. The combination of volunteer projects and a family festival will take place the morning of Saturday, April 16.

“The Botanical Garden is the epitome of what happens when volunteers come together with passions and a shared objective,” said Nancy Kartes, manager of the popular park. “Arbor Day-Earth Day has never been done here before. I hope visitors will interact with the garden and broaden their experience of Bellevue parks.”

The event, at 12001 Main St., will mark the city’s 20th year of being recognized as a “Tree City USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation, and will include:

Volunteer Projects – 9 to 11:30 a.m.: Approximately 300 volunteers will participate in park enhancement projects at the Botanical Garden, the adjoining Wilburton Hill Park and several other parks across the city. Projects will include planting, trail resurfacing and invasive species removal. Interested volunteers (groups or individuals) should call 425-452-4195 to register by April 1.

Ceremonial Tree Planting – 11:30 a.m.: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2995 Honor Guard will participate in a short ceremony where community volunteers, citizens and elected officials are invited to celebrate the importance of trees and our environment.

Family Festival – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Several eco-friendly organizations will be on-site with activities and demonstrations. Children can get an Arbor Day passport from a park ranger and journey through the Botanical Garden to various eco-stations, get their passport stamped, and then turn in their passports for a special prize. Eco-stations will include: a “Living Lab” ethnobotany workshop focused on plants; “Bug TV” with live bugs under a giant microscope; wetland orientation from the Pacific Science Center; and a station where you can build your own terrarium.

Posters created by many of Bellevue’s elementary school students will be on display at the event to help raise community awareness of the importance of trees in the city.

For more information about the Arbor Day-Earth Day event, contact Christina Brown at 425-452-4195 or Laura Hughes at 425-452-7225.