Attendees at a previous Rogers Electric Vehicle (EV) Show. This year's EV Show and Earth Fair will be held on Friday, April 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne. (Submitted photo)

SHERBURNE — Local nonprofit Friends of Rogers will be celebrating Earth Day in style on Friday, April 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne.

The Electric Vehicle (EV) Show and Earth Fair is a free community event for all ages, and will highlight the many opportunities for sustainable living.

The event is a collaboration with Drive Electric Earth Day (DEED), a national campaign that aims to share information about electric and hybrid vehicles during the month of April each year. Aligning with that initiative, the main feature of the Rogers EV Show and Earth Fair will be the opportunity to learn about and take a ride in an electric vehicle.

"In order to do the test rides, people would have to register at the registration tent, fill out a little questionnaire before they ride, get a wristband, and then they can go and talk to the owners that are giving rides," said Rogers Director of Development Heather Tehan. "So if the owner sees that the person interested has the wristband, they know they’ve already been registered and they’re okay to get in the cars."

Currently, two Teslas and one Toyota Rav 4 are registered to be shown and give test rides at the event. Anyone who owns an electric vehicle or hybrid that is interested in showing it at the event can email Tehan at development@friendsofrogers.org, or register on the DEED website at driveelectricearthday.org/event?eventid=3088.

While there are no COVID restrictions currently in place, Tehan said individuals will determine mask-wearing protocols based on the comfort level of EV owners and test riders. The event will follow any COVID guidelines that may be in place at the time of the event.

For those interested in electric vehicle ownership, Tehan said the EV Show provides a great opportunity to learn about what it's really like to own and drive one.

"Really the idea of the EV Show is to come and talk to the owners and get the real information about what it’s like to drive an electric vehicle in central New York. Because there’s a lot of misinformation, and it’s hard for someone who might be trying to make a decision or wants to do it, but they don’t have the real facts," she explained.

Several local groups and organizations that focus on nature and renewable energy will set up shop in the newly remodeled Visitors' Center, and will be available to talk with attendees about the various programs and opportunities for green living in the area.

Organizations that will be attending the event include the Bullthistle Hiking Club, the Chenango Bird Club, Boise's Bees, the Mid York Mycological Society, Livingston Energy, Sherburne Electric, the Chenango County Department of Planning and Development, Intelligent Green Solutions, as well as SUNY Morrisville educators from the Renewable Energy and Environmental Conservation departments.

"Eric Diefenbacher will be here with reptiles and talking about them, and people can see them," said Tehan. "The SUNY Morrisville staff is from renewable energy programs and environmental education programs, and they’ll be talking about different careers that people can get into pertaining to sustainability, and other information as well."

Food and Gilligan's Ice Cream will also be for sale at the Visitors' Center, and children in attendance can enjoy music and stories by Jenni's Music, play Earth Day bingo, or create something at the kids' craft area.

Raffle tickets will be available for a chance to win donated items and gift baskets, and Tehan said there will be a first come, first served handout of seed papers, spider plants, and aloe vera plants.

"We're going to have giveaways, too," she said. "We have little earth-shaped seed paper, and we’re going to have seedlings and little house plants, little starter plants, if anybody wants those. Because it’s Earth Day, you know?"

Although not yet decided, Tehan added that the Bullthistle Hiking Club is exploring the possibility of holding a hike during the Earth Fair, in the event of fair weather.

"They’re discussing it. It’s just a matter of having someone at the table and then someone doing the hike. So it’s a possibility, and of course weather is a factor as well. We don’t know what the weather will be on Earth Day; We’ve had snow before," she explained. "The EV Show will be outside of course, in any weather, and the tables will be in the Visitors’ Center. If it’s a beautiful day people may want to set up outside, but we’ll see."

The Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center EV Show and Earth Fair promises to be a fun and educational event for all ages. More information about Friends of Rogers and the Earth Day event can be found on the Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center, Inc. Facebook page.

Drive Electric Earth Day is presented by Plug In America, the Electric Vehicle Association, the Sierra Club, and EVHybridNoire. More information on Drive Electric Earth Day can be found on their website, driveelectricearthday.org.

"We are excited to host an event on Earth Day that focuses on the choices we can make to live a more sustainable life. It all starts with connecting with nature, and Rogers Center is a wonderful place to make that connection at any age," said Tehan. “We hope the attendees of this event will have lots of fun while learning something new and exciting about the environmental choices we can all make, and the career opportunities available in our area.”