Annual Chumash Earth Day Returns to Santa Ynez Reservation on April 13

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SANTA YNEZ, CA – April 8, 2024 – The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ Environmental Department will host its annual free Chumash Earth Day event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Kitiyepumu’ Park, located on the Santa Ynez Reservation at 100 Via Juana Road in Santa Ynez.

This zero-waste event will feature family-fun activities for all ages, including educational booths, face painting, arts and crafts, a raffle, local food trucks with food for purchase and special appearances by Smokey Bear and Safety Sam. The event is open to the public, and free parking will be available at the Tribal Hall, with shuttle service to Kitiyepumu’ Park.

Over 20 local businesses and organizations will be in attendance, including Explore Ecology, Southern Steelhead Coalition, the U.S. Forest Service, The Beekeepers Guild of Santa Barbara, the Community Environmental Council, the Nature Conservancy, and the Farm Service Agency. The tribe’s Culture, Education and Health departments will also be in attendance, as well as representatives from the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic and Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center.

Registration will take place at the event, with the first 250 people receiving a “swag bag,” which will include a t-shirt, homemade natural bug spray, treats and custom-designed stickers, all packaged in a reusable, collapsible shopping bag. You’re also encouraged to bring your gently used clothing items for a clothing swap.

“The Santa Ynez Chumash Environmental Office (SYCEO) is grateful and excited to be celebrating our 16^th annual Chumash Earth Day this year,” said Julie Colbert, Environmental Director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “Our theme is ‘For Our Wild Relatives,’ which is aimed at honoring and bringing awareness to the preservation and protection of wildlife and their habitats. We have an incredible lineup of local organizations and partners as well as support from the tribal departments. It’s always a special event for the community.”

For more information about Chumash Earth Day, please contact SYCEO at syceo@chumash.gov.

The Environmental Department was established by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ Tribal Government in 1998. Its mission is to prepare tribal lands for environmental adaptation, protect and regenerate natural resources, and cultivate the connection between culture, spirit and community through collaboration and education. The department implements education and outreach, zero waste, water resources, climate adaptation and habitat restoration programs for the tribal community. To learn more about its programs and efforts in the community, visit www.syceo.org.