Two local young people are organizing a day of fun, food and music to provide their peers with important information and help them register to vote.

Anika Schmidt, 17, of Placerville, and Lauren Tilley, 17, of El Dorado Hills, have worked together to organize “A Day in the Park” on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Cameron Park Lake.

“We are organizing A Day in the Park to engage local youth through live music, food and information that pertains to their lives. We hope that a fun and engaging environment will spark their interest in voting and having a say in the way our country is run,” Schmidt said. A recent graduate of El Dorado High School, Schmidt will be a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall.

The event is sponsored by Young El Dorado Progressives and Sierra Forward. It will feature two local bands, the Gypsy Solution and The Countermen, and $1 tacos be available. There will be information booths on fair trade, POW (Protect Our Winters), women’s health, Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ issues, animal abuse and gun control. Additionally, there will be presentations by the American River Conservancy and California Dreamers. Lastly, guests will have access to a table with volunteers where people can register to vote.

“It’s not uncommon for young people to be told that they need to get more involved and then, once they are involved, they’re told they don’t know what they’re talking about,” said Tilley, a senior at Oak Ridge High School. “We want to change that. Young people are passionate about the future of our country and it’s our time to show everyone just how much we care. Just because we may not be running for office yet, it doesn’t mean our voices cannot be heard through voting and participating in our democracy.”

A Day in the Park will be held from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Cameron Park Lake, 2989 Cambridge Road in Cameron Park.

For more information, call (530) 497-0198 or visit eldoradoprogressives.org/events-page.