Block party on A Street will celebrate the planet with music, food and drink
By Jim Flint for Ashland.news
Ashland’s historic Railroad District is turning up the volume and turning out the vibes this Earth Day as it transforms into a festive, foot-tapping celebration of sustainability and community.
On Tuesday, April 22, from 4 to 7:30 p.m., an Earth Day A Street Block Party — hosted by Wild Thyme Productions — will fill the A Street neighborhood with live music, local eats and eco-minded energy.
Wild Thyme’s Karolina Lavagnino invites residents and visitors to dance, dine, and discover just how joyful a greener lifestyle can be.
Worldwide celebration
Earth Day is an annual event, worldwide, designed to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events, coordinated globally through earthday.org, involving a billion people in more than 193 countries.
The “A Street Block Party is a first-time celebration,” Lavagnino said. “I got inspired by Michael Dotson, the executive director of KS Wild.”
Headquartered at 562 A St., KS Wild’s mission is to protect and restore wild nature in the Klamath-Siskiyou region of southwest Oregon and northwest California. Dotson told Lavagnino he thought a block party would be a great way to celebrate KS Wild’s upcoming anniversary.
“I didn’t want to wait until next year,” Lavagnino said.
She said she realized she didn’t go to the district to shop and dine as often as she wanted.
“I love A Street and the entire Railroad District,” she said. “It has so much to offer.”
Thinking there might be others like her, she decided to organize a block party around the celebration of Earth Day — not only to promote sustainability, but also to promote the district she loved as a welcoming, lively place to be.
“My goal is to get people outside, to come down — walk or bike — and enjoy this really beautiful part of our town,” she said. “I want people to gather and celebrate spring, to enjoy live music, great food, and local makers. We want to support small businesses.”
To that end, Wild Thyme has scheduled appearances by local music groups, and Railroad District businesses are tying in with promotions and special activities.
Performances
At 4:15 p.m., Creekside Strings fiddlers will kick things off with energetic traditional tunes at La Baguette Music Cafe, 340 A St.
From 5 to 5:30 p.m., Elbow Room Taiko drummers will stage a rhythmic performance in the parking lot next to the Ashland Yoga Center, 303 4th St.
From 5 to 7:30 p.m., there will be live music and refreshments at KS Wild, 562 A St.
And from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Jenika Smith and Simon Chrisman, an acoustic duo known as Chrisman & Smith, will headline with a wide genre of music — including folk, bluegrass, jazz and Irish fiddle tunes — at La Baguette.
Food and drink
Food will be available from Tacos Libertad food truck, Simple Cafe, La Baguette, Ashland Food Co-op and Masala Bistro.
Artisan food makers on hand will include Southern Oregon Sourdough and Plant Baked.
Others participating will be Noble Coffee Roasting, Terrene Wine + Cider in the garden at La Baguette, Circadian Cellars at Ashland Recycled Furniture, and a Hummingbird Heart Co. booth near Fourth and A streets.
Vendors and crafts
Lavagnino says there will be a diverse selection of vendors on site, including jewelry by Pedal Creations, Fera Fox and Lava Designs; chocolate treats by Zi Spice; and organic skincare products and pressed botanical art by Vibrant Earth Botanicals.
Special preview
The owners of Tlalli, a new Latin American restaurant that will open in the district this summer, will share their story, offering specially crafted ancestral beverages and merchandise designed to promote their business.
Many merchants in the district will join the celebration with special offers and sales.
Special events will include a kids’ bean bag toss with prizes and face painting with Natural Earth paint products, both at Ace Hardware; Free screened printing (one per person — bring your own T-shirt or tote bag) at KS Wild; and gentle yoga and breath work at a mini-class offered by Ashland Yoga Center from 6:15 to 7 p.m.
Also at Ace Hardware, an expert will be on hand outside the store with a display board to offer tips on drip irrigation and how it helps conserve water.
Piccadilly Cycles will provide free bike valet parking in front of their store at Fourth and A streets, to encourage sustainable transportation.
“For updates and additional information about the block party, follow us on social media,” Lavagnino said. “On Facebook and Instagram, it’s @WildThymeProductions.”
Freelance writer Jim Flint is a retired newspaper publisher and editor. Email him at jimflint.ashland@yahoo.com.
