ORONO – The 14th annual HOPE Festival – Help Organize Peace Earthwide – Saturday, April 19, at the University of Maine Field house will offer activities for all ages to celebrate Earth Day, their connections to the Earth and to each other and to learn how to reduce their “carbon footprint.”

The festival will feature a Green Expo, live entertainment, films and a fair with more than 80 organizations.

After the opening ceremony with Penobscot Elder Arnie Neptune and drumming with Eh Pit Sisok (Little Women) from Indian Island, attendees may browse information tables and pick up buttons, bumper stickers and T-shirts. Activities include:

. The lively jazz of A-Train, 11:15 a.m.

. International Student Dancers, 12:15 p.m.

. The peaceful music of the UMaine Classical Guitar Ensemble, 1:45 p.m.

. The amazing juggling of Zackary Field, 2 p.m.

. Nasruddin Puppet wisdom stories, Richard Merrill, 3 p.m.

In the children’s area, youngsters will learn and play with miniature solar panels provided by the Maine Energy Education Program and learn how to start an environmental club from Green Team Maine.

Or they may create percussion instruments from recyclable and natural materials under the guidance of Sara Yasner, who will lead them in a performance with instruments they create. The workshop will be held at 10 a.m. with the performance at noon. The workshop will be repeated at 1:45 p.m.

Children also may make and decorate hats from recycled newspapers with the help of the Windover Arts Center staff or fiber art “sun spots” from felt and sequins with Tree Heckler, Howling Threads embroidery.

The Hudson Museum will teach children how to play Waltese, an American Indian bowl and dice game.

At the first HOPE Festival 14 years ago, homesteader Helen Nearing urged participants to “live simply so that others may simply live.”

Maine Partners for Cool Communities consulted with HOPE Festival organizers and Cool Bangor members to strengthen the environmental component of the festival. Participants may test drive an electric vehicle, learn about solar and wind power, consider the delights and benefits of bicycling and recycling, talk to Peter Baldwin about living a modern life off the grid, learn how to travel green with Earth Routes and purchase locally grown organic products.

A food court and farmer’s market will feature wholesome bread created by Daily Bread, Olde Oak Farm’s fresh and aged goat cheese or organic cow milk cheese and yogurt, wraps from Vagabond Cafe and natural buckwheat dog biscuits from Barkwheats Dog Biscuits.

Films courtesy of the Maine Sierra Guild will be “The True Cost of Food,” noon; “Toast,” 12:30 p.m.; “Transforming Energy: What is our Future after Oil?,” 1 p.m.; “Kilowatt Ours,” 2:30 p.m..

Festival organizers said that living sustainably involves the caring work of many organizations. According to Ilze Petersons, program coordinator for the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, festival sponsor, celebrating the caring work and making connections is one of the purposes.

Participants include organizations such as Spruce Run and Rape Response Services working to end domestic violence and the Orono Peace Group and Peace through Interamerican Community Action working for global peace.

“Organizing peace earthwide may seem ambitious, but we see each day how interconnected we are in the clothes we wear and the food we eat,” said Petersons. “We see that actions and decisions made here do have worldwide impact and decisions made thousands of miles away impact us. Sometimes as individuals we can feel powerless, but at the HOPE Festival, we can affirm the power of positive change efforts.”

Petersons called the festival a celebration, but also a great way to find out how to support the work of these groups.

Sandy Tardiff, a festival coordinator, pointed out that people need to get involved to make democracy work.

“The HOPE Festival is a fun way to support the caring work being done and to learn about the many ways you can participate. Whether it’s learning about the work of the NAACP or the Eastern AIDS Network, there’s something for everyone. And thanks to volunteer efforts and sponsorships, it’s free,” she said.

To obtain information or to volunteer, call 942-9343 or visit www.peacectr.org.