Anacortes celebrated Earth Day in style this year with a two-day celebration that lit up downtown and brought hundreds of neighbors together in the spirit of community, creativity, and environmental stewardship.
Friday night’s Luminary Light Parade on April 25 set the tone with wonder and warmth. More than 1,500 people gathered to witness over 200 glowing luminaries parading down Commercial Avenue. Artist Loalynda Bird created 100 large, beautiful lanterns, carried proudly by community members, including the Anacortes Noon Rotary. With support from the Anacortes Creative District, Loalynda also led workshops where over 40 children crafted their own luminaries. Despite some travel delays, the glow of community spirit shone brightly.
Photo Credit: EJ Harris Photography
Saturday afternoon, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM on April 26th, downtown Anacortes came alive with vibrant activity:
At 4:00 PM, local organizations hosted over a dozen engaging, family-friendly environmental activity booths, organized by Friends of the Forest. Highlights included:
- Friends of the ACFL: pollinator crafts, chalk art, and Forest Discovery Center exhibits
- Washington Native Plant Society (Salal Chapter): trivia wheels, leaf ID games, and hands-on displays
- Transition Fidalgo and Anacortes Key Club: face painting and plant starts
- Pacific Mammal Research (PacMam): skulls, pelts, and a seal-matching game
- Friends of the Salish Sea: stormwater equipment demos and a recycled seed pot activity
- Fidalgo Nature School: salmon info and nature coloring
- Skagit Land Trust: animal scat matching game
- Skagit Solid Waste/Master Recycler Composter: recycling quiz
- City of Anacortes: interactive wastewater treatment models and prize wheel
- AHS Green Club: seed bombs and paper making
- Friends of the Anacortes Library: used books and library resources
Photo Credit: Kendra McConnell
At 4:30 PM, Chilly Rain Retro hosted a Sustainable Fashion Show right outside their storefront.
Photo Credit: Zack Wight
At 5:00 PM, the beloved Procession of the Species filled the street with wild costumes and joyful energy. A new showstopper this year: a giant orca, sculpted by Andy Stewart of Emerald Marine, rolled down the street on a unicycle-powered platform, complete with a working blowhole! Over 200 people marched in the parade, with more than 1,000 in attendance.
Photo Credit: Zack Wight & Kendra McConnell
At 6:00 PM, the celebration continued with live music and dancing at The Creative Hub, featuring Dog Tail Swing.
The Earth Day theme—from the forest to the sea—was brought to life thanks to the collaboration of many partners: Procession of the Species organizers, PaperBirds Studio which created the beautiful luminaries, Friends of the Forest which coordinated the environmental activities, and the Downtown Anacortes Alliance, which provided event support and promotion.
We’re grateful for the sponsors who made it all possible: REFA (Anacortes Arts Festival), City of Anacortes, Anacortes Rotary, Anacortes Creative District, and PaperBirds Studio, with additional support from Transition Fidalgo, Emerald Marine, Peggy Flynn, and Council Member Ryan Walters.
More than just a weekend event, Anacortes Earth Day is a living expression of our values—a celebration of creativity, sustainability, and community.
