Jim Thorpe hosts its 17th annual Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 26. The rain date is April 27.

Musicians, artists and crafters, and other vendors complement the theme of environmental activism that has been the hallmark of this celebration over the years.Musical groups highlight the schedule with free performances at Jim Thorpe's downtown Josiah White Park, up the street on Broadway, and outside the Mauch Chunk Opera House at 14 W Broadway.The Underwater Sounds, a reggae and funk band, and the Wallace Brothers, a jam band, are both high-energy bands from Philadelphia and headline the day's diverse musical offerings with a Saturday night performance at the Mauch Chunk Opera House. Tickets are $10. For more information call (570) 325-0249. Tickets are also available on

www.mcohjt.com.Organized several years ago by Shelli Holland, the owner of the Horizons Gift Store at 105 Race Street in Jim Thorpe, the Jim Thorpe Earth Day Celebration sought to maintain and increase environmental awareness.With the recent resurgence of interest in the environment and sustainable lifestyles, Earth Day has reclaimed its place in the national conscience.Over the years, Holland's work has helped expand the event's message of environmental awareness, while shaping a local celebration that has become a well-known staple of the Jim Thorpe festival scene.For more information visit the official Jim Thorpe Earth Day website,

http://www.jtearthday.com.