Many people will be joining to celebrate Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary to promote creating a more eco-friendly environment for our Earth. Whole Children, Whole Planet (WCWP) has partnered with Highland Hall Waldorf School in Northridge to host a fun-filled expo for the community.

The expo will take place on April 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Kathy Arnos, producer and host of the expo, said she is excited about the event and that there will be lots of different types of entertainment ranging from live music, workshops, raffle tickets and great prizes.

The workshops will be based on a variety of different topics such as water conservations, vaccines, autism, water pollution, healthy eating and enrichment village, Arnos said. She said all ages are welcome to participate.

The enrichment village will include storytelling, art, singing, hooping, Shea butter tin making, drumming and henna tattoos, Arnos said.

“The workshops offer the community an amazing educational opportunity to learn about important health and environmental issues we are facing today,” she said.

Arnos said there will be organic foods available for attendees to sample as well as purchase for lunch. LifeSource Water is another one of the sponsors that will be at the expo and Arnos advises anyone coming to leave their plastic water bottles behind.

“We’re also asking people to kick the plastic water bottle habit and bring their own reusable water bottle,” Arnos said. “LifeSource water will be sponsoring water for everybody for free.”

She said the event has many sponsors who will be helping advertise the event to community members. She said some of their broadcast sponsors are CBS 2, KCAL 9, and KOST 103.5. There will also be advertisement through newspapers and magazines of the San Fernando Valley, Arnos said.

“We’re advertising through Whole Foods Market,” Arnos said. “They are putting our promotional postcards in 20 of their stores in this region.”

Arnos said she encourages the community to come out to take advantage of the great prizes offered. The attendees will have to purchase a raffle ticket to participate to win. The tickets can be purchased for a $1 at the gate or some booths will be selling them. There will be no limit as to how many tickets can be purchased, “everybody can buy a raffle ticket,” she said.

Arnos said the grand prize is a two-night stay at the Sacred Sands Bed and Breakfast Strawbale Retreat. The retreat is located in Joshua Hills.

Hugo’s Restaurants and Hugo’s Tacos, another sponsor, will be giving away dinner for two, valued at $70 for both of their locations, Arnos said.

Kit Bateman, production assistant and office coordinator, said this event is probably the most fun and important event any family can attend this year in the Los Angeles area.

“…You have an event that can not only entertain but also change the way people think about their health, their families’ health and the health of the planet as a whole,” Bateman said.

The address where this free event will be held is at 17100 Superior St. in Northridge. Arnos said there will be free parking and $5 parking at three local churches. There will also be a SuperShuttle that will be available to pick-up and drop attendees off at the different parking areas.

“It’s a free community event this year. In the past years there’s been a fee but this year I’ve chosen to open it up to the community because I feel so strongly about the information we’re going to be providing that I think it’s important everybody, no matter what their economic background or status is in the community,” Arnos said.

Arnos said she believes the important message to convey to families is learning the concept of being involved with nature and respecting the earth.

“Our basic mission is to help educate the public about important environmental and health issues in a fun and engaging way,” Arnos said.

Sean Stearley, production assistant of WCWP, said he thinks this is a great event that will help to educate the community and “future generations” in a way everyone can appreciate and enjoy.

“The purpose of this event can be wrapped up in our slogan: inspiring change for our future and be part of the solution,” Stearley said.