The April 20 Earth Week open house will be held at The Brewing Projekt in Eau Claire.

What better way to celebrate Earth Week than with some friends, a lot of learning, and maybe a drink or two?

An Earth Week Open House featuring more than 30 vendors will be held 5:30-7:30pm on Thursday, April 20, at the Brewing Projekt in Eau Claire. The free event is a collaborative effort by the JONAH Environmental Task Force, Eau Claire County, and Beaver Creek Reserve, and the open house is meant to engage residents on a range of environmental topics, from water quality to sustainable energy.

“It’s to educate the community and show ways they can get involved,” said Sue Waits, who chairs the Environmental Task Force for JONAH, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization.

Groups participating in the event will include environmental-focused businesses, such as Earthbound Environmental Solutions and First Choice Computer Recycling; green energy providers such as Xcel Energy and Eau Claire Energy Cooperative; and numerous environmental organizations, such as Citizen Action Wisconsin, the Sierra Club, and Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

“I hope people are aware of the resources that are within our community,” said Regan Watts, recycling and sustainability coordinator for Eau Claire County. “In my line of work, people are always asking questions and they’re not aware what is available. This brings all those resources into one spot.”

The open house will help attendees learn about how they can get involved in environmental groups and jumpstart their own sustainability practices, JONAH’s Waits said. And in addition to introducing residents to environmental programs, resources, and agencies, the event will provide a forum for those groups and their members to interact and collaborate, she added.

In addition to the environmental vendors and exhibitors, the event will feature kids activities, a food truck, and opportunities to buy some of the Brewing Projekt’s brews.

There were also be a raffle with prizes including a home composter, a free ride from Green Fleet, $200 to buy native plants, and three months of curbside organic waste collection from Earthbound Environmental.

Ideally, open house won’t ben a one-and-done event, but rather a starting point for increased environmental awareness in the community, Waits added.

Earth Week Open House • 5:30-7:30pm, Thursday, April 20 • The Brewing Projekt, 1807 N. Oxford Ave., Eau Claire • FREE