Earth Day isn't officially until Monday, but the folks at Chimp Haven are honoring the day a little early. They're holding their second annual Earth Day Festival in conjunction with Chimpanzee Discovery Day this Saturday.

Communications Associate Ashley Gordon tells KEEL News the festival features food, art and exhibits by local environmental organizations, businesses and artisans. Plus, there's live music by AirHeart, and activities for the whole family to enjoy. She says the theme this year is "sustainability."

"We will have several areas where we will be able to showcase what we at Chimp Haven are doing to be good stewards of our environment," Gordon says. "We just put up our greenhouse, so that we are able to grown more vegetables for our chimpanzee residents, grow more fruits, really lessen our carbon footprint."

Vendors that will be on-hand for the event: Bird Group of Shreveport, Cathy Catering, Geauxsicles, Louisiana Nursery, Noel Community Arts Program, Pratt Paper, Robinson's Rescue, Sci-Port, Starbucks, Southern Style Cooking and Woo Hoo Whoopies.

This will also be a great chance for you to see the newest residents of the sanctuary. Groups of former New Iberia Research Station chimps have been integrated into the population, and they've been out and about lately. Gordon tells us 3-year-old "Jimmy" has been a great companion for the three little ones already there -- Tracy, Valentina Rose and Natalie.

As special extras, visitors can fish for candy termites, visit the conservation station, and learn about chimpanzees' habitats and behavior. Plus, they can go on a hayride. Those will run every half-hour, and cost $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. It's recommended you call in advance to reserve your spot for those, since they are quite popular. The number is 925-9575.

Aside from the hayrides, admission to the festival is free. It runs from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday.

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