Manatee County Parks Department hosts World Oceans Day Festival

Saturday is World Oceans Day. Organizers are calling it the “first annual” so obviously they’re hoping it will be the first of many.

The World Oceans Day website calls the day “a global day of ocean celebration and collaboration for a better future.” It’s kind of a free-form celebration, and people around the world are encouraged to create their own local events, built around the theme of “Our Oceans, Our Future” with a focus on solutions to plastic pollution and other kinds of marine litter.

It’s supposed to be a fun and educational day, as opposed to a day of angry marches and protests, and the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department has a full day of cool stuff planned at Emerson Point Preserve in Palmetto. You can dip nets into the water and discover the creatures hiding beneath the waves, learn about larger marine wildlife, including like sea turtles and manatees, play games and explore the history of fishing in Manatee County. There will also be food that comes from our local estuaries.

Some of the activities are inside, such as talks from scientists who work in the field, so you can take a break from the June heat.

Details: 9 a.m.-noon June 3, Emerson Point Preserve, 5801 17th St W., Palmetto. Free. 941-742-5923, worldoceansday.org.

This story was originally published May 31, 2017 at 4:51 PM with the headline "Manatee County Parks Department hosts World Oceans Day Festival."