April showers bring May flowers was the optimistic mantra heard around the Josiah White park during the 20th annual Earth Day celebration in Jim Thorpe this past weekend.

Crowds gathered in the park to purchase unique wares, tasty treats, hot coffee and enjoy several bands through out the day."It started off slow but people are starting to come in now," said Jim Witherow of Mauch Chunk Coffee.The day began at 9 a.m., with a community river cleanup and continued throughout the afternoon with crafts, shopping and music during the Saturday event as residents and travelers walked the block.A silent auction offered attendees a chance to win local business donated baskets, gift cards from Horizons and Natures Trail and handcrafted items such as a McCoy Design votive holder.Smokey Bear greeted children while nonprofits like National Remember Our Troops Campaign, Lenape Nations of Indians and Solar City, worked to inform the public on their national causes.New faces joined the tented vendors' row such as Tamaqua's Stonehedge Gardens, which recently celebrated its 50-year anniversary."This is the first year for us. We thought it would bring a bit of awareness for Stonehedge. It's been a hidden gem," Lauren Hamby said.The community garden and park was on hand to promote its upcoming Pennsylvania Permaculture Convergence, where experts from across the country will come together to present people with ways and tools to live sustainability on their land.During the first weekend in June, the gardens will have entertainment, food and vendors focused on the sustainability theme. Stonehedge Gardens are located at 51 Dairy Road in Tamaqua."People grew up down the street from it, don't know it's there," Hamby said.Thirteen musical acts also lined the two-street historic district ranging from solo acts to full bands including Appalachian Gypsy Tribe, Damian Walk and local favorites Free Range Folk."It was a great time," said resident and Jim Thorpe Yoga and Wellness owner, Maya Kowalcyk."It was awesome to see so many people here despite the drizzly weather. The music was the best, but it was sad seeing the George Wesley memorial and realizing this was the first one without him. His feel-good reggae music was sorely missed," she said.Wesley was from the Scranton area, and his band played with The Wailers, Santana and many others throughout his four-decade career. He passed away in July 2016 after a tough battle with liver cancer.Colorful flags were hand-decorated throughout the afternoon expressing the same sentiment for the Earth Day frequenter."It was a funky, fun time," Chantelle Gendron said."It's definitely my favorite festival in Jim Thorpe. Everyone loves the music. I heard people say they were disappointed it's only a one-day festival, not the whole weekend," she said.