Earth Day Festival is coming back to Balloon Fiesta Park - find out how you can get free tickets

Earth Day may be in April, but people can get free tickets in March for events celebrating the planet.

The second annual Earth Day Festival is returning from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 13, at Balloon Fiesta Park.

The event will feature ways for New Mexicans to make a difference in reducing their environmental footprint on the planet. This year’s theme is “Our Power, Our Planet: A call to action for all of us to embrace renewable energy and make a lasting impact on our planet’s future.”

Activities include electric vehicle test drives, informational speakers, food trucks, wine tasting and more. Attendees can learn how to access tax rebates and savings, and vendors will be on site.

A Youth Arts Contest will be held in conjunction with the festival.

Elementary, middle and high school students can enter works in three categories: visual arts, literary arts and performing arts. Students wishing to enter the arts contest must submit entries by March 31.

The visual arts category encompasses drawing, painting, digital and sculpture artworks. Any flat surface medium is acceptable (e.g., paper, poster board, canvas, wood). The maximum size for art pieces is 24 inches by 36 inches.

Students entering the literary arts competition should submit poetry or a short story with a maximum of 1,000 words.

The performing arts category covers music, acting, spoken word or dance. Submitters should enter an MP4 of their performance, up to five minutes.

For more information on how to enter the Youth Arts Contest or to get a free ticket, visit earthdayfestivalnm.org. Ticket prices in April are $5 per person, with children 12 and under free.

The Earth Day Festival is being produced by the city of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter, 350, Nusenda, Affordable Solar and various non-profit organizations.

Balloons Fiesta Park is located at 9401 Balloon Museum Drive NE.