More Than 800 Participants Enjoyed Midpen's 50th Anniversary Bayside Family Festival at Ravenswood Preserve
Los Altos, CA (May 3, 2022) - In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) hosted an admission-free Bayside Family Festival on Saturday, April 30th. Located at Ravenswood Open Space Preserve and Cooley Landing in East Palo Alto, the Bayside Family Festival was attended by more than 800 people of all ages who explored the public open space and enjoyed a full-day of outdoor family-friendly activities.
Midpen was created by local voters in 1972 following a grassroots effort by community members concerned about the impacts of rapid development and growth in the area. Since then, Midpen has protected a regional greenbelt of more than 65,000 acres of public open space and agricultural lands throughout the greater Santa
Cruz Mountains region. Midpen provides nearby access to nature for the community with nearly 250 miles of trails that are free and open to the public in 26 preserves.
WHAT: A celebration of Midpen’s 50th Anniversary of public open space preservation, protection, restoration, access and education. Participants explored the Bay Trail through a Discovery Journey walk and scavenger hunt with stops along the route to talk with naturalists at educational stations. The first 500 attendees received a keepsake field guide written in both English & Spanish.
Download photos to publish at openspace.org/media-kit.
Event entertainment and activities included:
● Insect Discovery lab by SaveNature
● Demonstrations from Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center
● Midpen Ranger Remarks: "Hats of the Ranger"
● Master Falconer Antonio Balestreri
● Face-painting
● Bay Area artist and environmental activist Linda Gass
● Musical entertainment:
○ Andy Z, Bay Area children’s music singer/songwriter
○ West African percussionists
● Folklorico and Step It Up dance performances
● Popsicle cart and local food trucks:
○ Cielito Lindo (Mexican)
○ Twister (Asian Fusion)
○ The Waffle Roost (Chicken & Waffles)
● Exhibitor booths hosted by our partners: Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), Green Foothills, the City of East Palo Alto, Latino Outdoors, Sequoia Audubon, Half Moon Bay State Beach, Grassroots Ecology, Bay Area Older Adults, San Jose Conservation Corps + Charter School, Environmental Volunteers, San
Mateo County Parks Foundation, San Jose State University, Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo, Climate Resilient Communities, Sierra Club, Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, Silicon Valley Bike Coalition, Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center, Silicon Valley Mountain Bikers, Saved by Nature, Youth Community Services, and Youth United for Community Action.
WHEN: Saturday, April 30th, 11:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
WHO: Nature lovers of all ages
WHERE: Cooley Landing at Ravenswood Open Space Preserve (2100 Bay Road. East Palo Alto, CA 94303-1317)