EARTH DAY MEETS EIRE: Every day is a day to honor and respect the planet where we currently reside, but the April holiday that spotlights sustainability and recycling and terrestrial TLC does have a rather remarkable and important ability to ramp that conversation up. That conversation gets a bit louder, thank goodness, starting around March, and the OC Marketplace is one of the first out of the global-good gate. Why? Because the Costa Mesa weekend happening hosts a Green Festival, and, to make it all bigger, they pair it up with a holiday that's famous for the emerald hue: St. Patrick's Day. The party'll happen two days ahead of the 17th in 2015 -- so, yes, that's Sunday, March 15 -- and if erin-go-bragh-ing is a fun thing for you, and recycling is a vital things for you, make for the OC Fair & Event Center.
FOOD TO DANCE TO INFO: For sure, there shall be traditional Irish-style dancing from a number of troupes throughout the day, and music from The Manning Brothers of Altadena (perhaps you've seen them playing in pubs around SoCal), and, wait for it, a leprechaun magician. Green eats, including green beer and green lemonade, will be sold, and special items from the on-site food trucks. Hmm... Will the Green Cheese Truck do a green cheese? That sounds sort of beautiful and unusual, actually. Fried green tomatoes will be among the edibles purveyed by the trucks during the fest.
DONATIONS AND INFORMATION: To honor the Green Festival side of the social, be sure to haul in clothes, shoes, and more for donation. A bag of clothes or a pair of used eyeglasses will get you into the doings for no admission. Recycle-themed art projects for the young attendees and water info on the Orange County Water Quality Program will be in the eco-forward mix.
