Get Excited – Celebrate Earth Day the Native Way!
Welcome back to Earth Month with Florida Seminole Tourism!
Throughout April, we’re celebrating the natural beauty and cultural significance of the Everglades and Florida’s unique natural environment. Join us as we explore not only the breathtaking landscapes of this vital ecosystem, but also the challenges it faces and the actions we can take to help protect these ancestral lands.
This week, we’re excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Earth Day the Native Way celebration, happening April 17th at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum from 10 am to 4 pm. Join us to explore the event’s many incredible partners, special guests, and fun activities, workshops, and demonstrations. Additionally, you can visit the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum campus grounds and boardwalk, as all attendees can enjoy special free admission the day of the event.
Today in our featured image, you can see a distant shot of Josie Billie’s village, taken in 1946 by Ethel Cutler Freeman (2005.27.1009, ATTK Museum). Interested in learning more about Josie Billie, and how he came to feature on the now-iconic Earth Day posters? Check out last year’s Earth Day the Native Way post. Below, join us to explore some of these exciting partners, special guests, and more!
PARTNERS
Tree Amigos Growers
A nursery located in Davie, FL Tree Amigos Growers is much more than a typical plant shop. Part of their mission involves inspiring and supporting people in their goal to create their own food system through organic gardening. With a wide selection of culinary and medicinal herbs, vegetables, and fruit trees, Tree Amigos focuses on supporting local gardeners in building sustainable, eco-friendly gardens. They also host a number of workshops and have compiled a selection of free gardening guides to help even the most beginner gardener.
Tree Amigos Growers wants to inspire a new vision of land access—one that nurtures growing spaces, heals our food system, and supports the independent production of organic food. Visit their booth to discover how healthy soils are the foundation for thriving plants. You’ll also have the opportunity to get hands-on by helping Tree Amigos transplant fruit trees, which will be gifted to Seminole Tribal members as a lasting contribution to community wellness. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram and stop by their nursery in Davie for all your plant-growing needs.
Mounts Botanical Garden
The Garden continues the legacy of its namesake, Marvin “Red” Mounts, Palm Beach County’s first assistant agricultural extension agent. A passionate advocate for crop diversity, resilience, and sustainable land management, Mounts cultivated a collection of fruit trees to create new food resources and help families combat vitamin deficiencies. Today, the Garden carries his vision forward with a mission to inspire and educate through nature.
Mounts Botanical Garden is a 20-acre tropical oasis with “25 display gardens containing more than 7,000 species of tropical and sub-tropical plants, including Florida native plants, exotic and tropical fruit trees, ornamentals, herbs, palms, roses, cactus, succulents, bromeliads and much more.”
Stop by the Mounts Botanical Garden’s interactive booth, where you can get hands-on with digital microscopes to explore the fascinating details of soil, flower structures, preserved insects, and everyday objects—up close! You can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
Florida Trail Association
Hoof it on over and meet the Happy Hoofers Chapter of the Florida Trail Association this Earth Day the Native Way event. Chartered in 1983, the Happy Hoofers serve Broward County and hold monthly backpacking and day hike opportunities in the Big Cypress Preserve from October through April. They also hold monthly presentations at the Fern Forest Nature Center. The Happy Hoofers maintain a 65-mile stretch of the Florida Trail from I-75 to Lake Okeechobee.
Ken Carpenter, a long time Happy Hoofer, was instrumental in working with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Big Cypress Reservation to ensure that the Florida Trail had a continuous path through the Big Cypress National Preserve to Lake Okeechobee. Today, the Happy Hoofers remain dedicated to maintaining the trail. Want to learn more about the Florida Trail through Big Cypress? Check out one of our previous blog posts!
This Earth Day the Native Way event, the Happy Hoofers will be offering educational resources on different hiking trails within Florida, including coloring pages for our younger guests. Join their Facebook group today!
The NSU Marine Environmental Education Center
The NSU Marine Environmental Education Center, a collaboration between Nova Southeastern University and Broward County Parks and Recreation, is dedicated to marine education, hands-on learning, and research—especially focused on the conservation of endangered sea turtles. The Center is housed in the historic Carpenter House, within Hollywood North Beach Park in Hollywood, Florida. Visiting Hollywood? Stop by the NSU Marine Environmental Education Center to meet Captain, their very own resident sea turtle. Struck by a boat in 2010, Captain has since recovered and found her home at the center. She helps educate visitors from all walks of life about South Florida’s unique marine ecosystems.
Uncover the “big picture” hidden in tiny grains of sand with fascinating samples from around the globe. Using tools like magnifying glasses and microscopes, you’ll take a closer look at what sand is made of—and why it matters. The NSU Marine Environmental Education Center will guide you through how this tiny material plays a big role in ecosystems, from human life to the journeys of migratory sea turtles. You can follow MEEC on Facebook!
In addition to the exciting partners, we have featured above, the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is also excited to announce three additional featured non-profits will be on campus for the festivities. These include the Hendry Glades Audubon, Flamingo Gardens, and the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Ameyal Mexican Cultural Academy Aztec Dancers
Based in Miami, the Ameyal Mexican Cultural Organization will present an interactive music workshop and vibrant dance performances during the Earth Day the Native Way celebration. Through traditional Aztec ceremonial dance, they share the rich Indigenous knowledge of Mexico. As both artists and activists, they promote a philosophy of living in balance with nature and the cosmos. Back again for another exciting year, you can follow the Ameyal Mexican Cultural Academy Aztec Dancers on Facebook and Instagram!
Pharaohs Wildlife Kingdom
Pharaoh’s Wildlife Kingdom focuses on wildlife conservation through education. Committed to sharing and educating people of all ages about the beauty and wonder of wildlife, he shares the importance of wildlife conservation. Pharaoh’s Wildlife Kingdom performs educational wildlife shows both in person and virtually, and loves to share their passion for wildlife. It is owned and operated by Pharaoh Gayles, a five-time Free Style Alligator Wrestling Competition champion and wildlife educator, conservationist, performer, and artist. Pharaoh has showcased his talents on national television, with appearances on Animal Planet’s Gator Boys and as a featured performer on FOX’s Game of Talents. You can find Pharaoh’s Wildlife Kingdom on Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram.
Polynesian Proud Productions
Polynesian Proud Productions, based in South Florida, brings the vibrant heritage of the South Pacific to life through captivating performances inspired by the islands of Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, and Samoa. With a deep dedication to preserving and sharing the beauty of Polynesian culture, they invite guests to experience the rhythm and spirit of the islands. During the event, attendees will have the chance to learn the graceful steps of Hawaiian Hula and the exhilarating drum dances of Tahiti! Also back for another year, you can follow Polynesian Proud Productions on Facebook and Instagram.
WORKSHOPS AND DEMONSTRATIONS
In addition to the exciting Earth Day the Native Way 2025 partners and special guests, attendees can peruse the festival grounds while shopping for Seminole arts and crafts and snacking on food from some incredible Tribal vendors. Those who attend the event will also be able to take advantage of free admission to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum. Take the opportunity to check out the Museum’s recent installation, Elgin Jumper: Drawings and Paintings, open now through May 30th.
The event features a variety of hands-on workshops, engaging demonstrations, and educational experiences for all ages. Whether you’re looking to cultivate your gardening skills with Tree Amigos, discover the vital role of pollinators in the beekeeping workshop, or sharpen your senses on a guided bird-watching tour, there’s something for everyone. Get moving with the Aloha Hula workshop or feel the rhythm in the Aztec music session. And if you’re feeling hungry for knowledge (and maybe a snack), stop by the workshop tent to learn how to prepare traditional swamp cabbage in a live demonstration.
Get ready for an unforgettable experience at this year’s Earth Day the Native Way celebration! Join the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, along with their partners and special guests, for a day filled with discovery, connection, and growth.
📍 Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, 34725 W. Boundary Road, Clewiston, Florida
🗓️ Thursday, April 17, 2025
🕙 10:00am – 4:00pm
Author Bio
Originally from Washington state, Deanna Butler received her BA in Archaeological Sciences from the University of Washington in 2014. Deanna moved to Florida in 2016. Soon, she began working for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office. Deanna was the THPO’s Archaeological Collections Assistant from 2017-2021. While at the THPO, Deanna worked to preserve, support, and process the Tribe’s archaeological collection. She often wrote the popular Artifact of the Month series and worked on many community and educational outreach programs. She lives in Lakeland, FL with her husband, two sons, and dog.
