Beneath brilliant sunny skies, thousands of locals — and quite a few out-of-towners — converged on the Courthouse Sunken Garden on Sunday for the annual South Coast Earth Day Festival.

Sponsored by the Community Environmental Council, the festival featured a Green Car Show, live music, free bicycle checkups, and a children’s area with hands-on activities. With more than 200 exhibits, festival goers really did need to conserve their energy if they expected to visit each booth.

Finding their way wasn’t a problem, thanks to the festival’s theme of “Reduce Your Eco-Footprint” and the giant chalk footprints leading to a CEC tent. Once there, volunteers helped measure individual demands on the Earth by using a bank of solar-powered computers. And if you missed out Sunday, no matter. Click here for an online eco-footprint calculater.

Noozhawk was among the sponsors, and a steady stream of well-wishers stopped by the Noozhawk nest all day to meet founder and publisher Bill Macfadyen; reporters Sonia Fernandez, Rob Kuznia and Cliff Redding; photographer Lou Fontana; and account executive Chris Donahue. More than 100 people entered a drawing for a $100 gift certificate from Noozhawk advertiser Fresco, 3987 State St. Patrick Wilkinson’s name was drawn as the winning entry Monday.