FAIRHOPE, Ala. — When it comes to environmental solutions, one would be hard-pressed to find more in one place than Earth Bay Mobile Bay 2010, to be held April 24, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m., at the south end of Fairhope Pier Park. The annual free, family oriented event will feature exhibitors showcasing ways to protect the environment, along with music, food and educational activities for the kids.

“Earth Day in the United States started about 40 years ago in California,” said Gary Gover, president of Earth Day Mobile Bay Inc. “It started here about 21 years ago.”

Organizers say this is the state’s largest Earth Day festival, and wouldn’t be possible without the help of sponsors like the city of Fairhope, the Sierra Club and the Baldwin County Commission.

Gover said, “It has to do with environmentalism, and it attracts a mixture of people, including family groups such as husbands, wives and children. Some already have a strong environmental interest, and others may not already have strong environmental leanings. Some will be drawn by the entertainment. Some will have an interest in one of the exhibitors we’ll have, and others come for the food.”

LuLu’s at Homeport Marina will be a food vendor this year, serving their signature cheeseburgers made using ground beef, which comes from grass-fed cattle raised in Alabama.

Few spots remain for exhibitors, Gover said, noting about two-thirds of those already on board are currently listed on the event Web site.

“They range from non-governmental organizations and government agencies to Scouts, Home Depot, the Mobile Museum of Art and grass-fed beef providers,” Gover said. “All sorts of stuff. Our intent is to present a very broad spectrum of things.”

Among the items for sale, he added, will be art created using recycled materials and eco-friendly cleaning products. Many booths will offer free information about the environment, and Tameron Honda Eastern Shore will be on hand presenting the latest generation in hybrid vehicles.

Another now-popular element of the event is Electronic Amnesty Day, sponsored by the city of Fairhope, Fairhope Radio Shack and the Baldwin County Commission. It will take place on Beach Drive in the park, adjacent to Down by the Bay Café, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Drive right up and discard obsolete computer equipment, TVs, stereos, cell phones small appliances, etc., in an environmentally friendly way at no charge. All Baldwin and Mobile county residents and small businesses are invited to participate.

Items that will be accepted include televisions, computer monitors, CPUs (towers and desktops), keyboards, printers, scanners, fax machines, stereo equipment, microwaves and other small electronics.

The Fairhope High School Environmental Club has partnered with the city of Fairhope and Fundraising Factory to collect cell phones, ink and toner cartridges and batteries. Proceeds from the recycling of those items go to the club.

Radio Shack recycles rechargeable batteries all year long free of charge.

Also collecting recyclable material at Earth Day Mobile Bay will be Daphne Utilities, which will collect used cooking oil and grease to convert to bio-diesel fuel; Baldwin County, which will take in aluminum, plastic and cardboard items; the city of Mobile will showcase its metro recycling efforts; and the Environmental Protection Agency will accept light bulbs containing mercury.

There will be plenty of live, local music performed by various groups, including school combos; Louis Franklin and his band, Woodshed; and Christopher Spies of Uppity Collective.

“It’s a good time for everybody,” Gover said. “We’ll have a bunch of attractions.”

Parking at the event site is limited. Additional free parking and free BRATS shuttle rides to and from Earth Day Mobile Bay will be available from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m., and will run from the Ecor Rouge Shopping Center (old Food World) parking lot on Greeno Road.

For more information, visit www.earthdaymobilebay.org.