For the past four years, as part of the Great American Cleanup, Keep Pickens Beautiful has been hosting Earth Day on Main. The first event was just KPB volunteers and Board members offering information, free plants, kids crafts, and a few other activities – it was small and fun. Over the years, the event has continued to grow to include vendors, live music, and so much more.
The 2025 Earth Day on Main celebration was in Perrow Park, and there was something for everyone:
- Rusted Melody entertained the vendors and visitors with their mix of folk, rock & roll, and pop music
- King of Pops provided delicious, cool treats for the hot, spring day
- The Pickens Recycling Center shared information about our county’s incredible facility and gave away cups with seeds from KPB’s Edible Pickens gardens for folks to add to their home gardens
- The Chapman Crew educated visitors on pollinators and built bee houses from bamboo and recycled materials, and also had a birdhouse-making station
- Earth Thing Vintage brought a collection of used clothing and accessories for sale
- Girl Scout Troop 19001 offered tie-dyed t-shirts and a paint-a-pot craft that included soil and seeds
- The McCracken Family brought plants, cutting boards from locally sourced wood, hand made jewelry, and watercolor paintings & cards
- Audrey Kirsten had a wide range of hand made wooden spoons, spatulas, and more
- Bleu Summit Bakery sold a variety of tasty breads and other baked goods
- Whispering Springs Nursery brought herbs, flowers, and many other plants for sale
- KPB shared information about their programs and activities, and also had free-form drawing stations for everyone to let their creativity flow
- Publix donated water and fruit for attendees to snack on and stay hydrated
KPB and the Pickens Progress sponsored a birdhouse/bathouse contest where community members crafted houses from reclaimed and recycled materials. They were judged by three community members on sturdiness & durability, functionality, and uniqueness & creativity – all submissions won awards based on the scoring. At the Earth Day celebration, attendees voted on their People’s Choice favorite and Liam’s house made from a soda bottle and a branch for hanging was the clear favorite. All the houses are hanging in the KPB Community Corner garden to provide shelter for birds on Main Street, and to see which is truly the most functional and durable, which will be awarded at the 2026 Earth Day on Main celebration. Be sure to stop by when you’re on South Main to admire the creativity of the creations.
KPB would like to thank the City of Jasper for the use of Perrow Park, and extends a big thank you to Mayor Kirk Raffield for coming to the rescue on the morning of the event to provide power for the vendors when the outlets on Main Street were off.
Visit the KPB website at keeppickensbeautiful.org to see photos of the event and all the birdhouse creations. Mark your calendar for the 2026 Earth Day on Main Celebration!
