Step It Up! takes place tomorrow, Saturday. Check out an event near you.

For the first time, the largest and most authentic sustainability event in the world is coming to Chicago. Previously held only in San Francisco and Washington, DC, the Green Festival is expanding to one of America’s greenest cities at the invitation of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley’s office. It takes place all day on both April 21 and 22 at McCormick Place.

Co-produced by Global Exchange and Co-Op America and co-sponsored by The Nation, the GF offers one of the best forums for exploring what’s next on the horizon for renewable energy, socially responsible investing, the climate change fight, eco-fashions, groundbreaking films, eco-tourism, green building, green parenting, organic foods, the struggle against environmental racism and much more.

The Chicago Green Festival will bring together more than 300 exhibitors, 150 speakers and tens of thousands of attendees for a two-day party with a very serious objective: expanding popular support for policies aimed at ecological sustainability and social justice.

The Nation will be at booth #2008 throughout the Festival. Meet Nation writers and staffers and pick up free copies of the magazine and buttons! Don’t miss Nation writer Chris Hayes speaking on Sunday, April 22, at 3:00 in Room 1 and check out other featured speakers, including Amy Goodman, Jim Hightower, Dennis Kucinich, Bill McKibben, Van Jones and Frances Moore Lappe. Click here for a full schedule and to buy tickets. And if you can’t make it to Chicago, check out the GF website for info on webcasts.

McKibben will be speaking about Step It Up!, the April 14 National Day of Climate Action, and what can be done to combat the consequences of global climate change. Click here to see what Step It Up! activities are taking place near you this Saturday and read my previous ActNow blog for more info on the largest day of citizen action focusing on global warming in our nation’s history.

Finally, watch this YouTube video for a brief history of the Green Festival.