Beautifying the Neighborhood

Last Saturday morning we woke up to a small tent city being constructed in the parking lot of a school building on McAllister Street.

San Francisco's Department of Public Works was sponsoring the event which was being billed online as the "Arbor Day Fair," although national Arbor Day is actually April 25th.

Volunteers and city workers were joined for neighborhood tree planting events and spread themselves throughout the Civic Center neighborhood.

I didn't join them but continued on to Hayes Street instead for the Saturday morning trash pickup in Hayes Valley which has turned into quite a lively scene.

After completing my civic duty, I stopped by the "eco-fair," which was charming.

There were bucket rides being offered to kids and their guardians on two towering cherry pickers.

In the back of the schoolyard...

...there was a tiny petting zoo with grass-eating goats.

If you volunteered in the morning, there was a box lunch as reward...

..along with free ice cream.

My favorite giveaway was a make-your-own wooden planter tent...

...with helpful city carpenters showing you how to assemble a square planter box...

...and other city workers helping you transplant live herbs.

It was one of the sweetest city-sponsored events ever.