For the environmentally conscious Ames residents who want to get involved in Earth Day a little early, the Ames/ISU Greens will be hosting an “Earth Day Party” tonight from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Boheme, 2900 West St.

The event is free and open to the public, and it is billed as a classic rock dance featuring D.J. Jolly Hempster and live tribal drumming by house band Digidaki. Both are regular performers at the caf‚.

Attendees are encouraged to wear hippie attire and bring their favorite classic rock with them to the dance.

Starlene Rankin, coordinator of the Ames/ISU Greens, said the event should be both informative and enjoyable.

“This is a party to celebrate Earth Day and to let people know about the local and national Green Party,” said Rankin, senior in journalism and mass communication.

Boheme owner Peter Sherman said he is happy to host the party for the organization.

“We support the power of community here. We try to bring the community together,” he said, noting that the Earth Day Party fits in with other entertainment found at Boheme.

In between performances, Rankin said she hopes to talk with the crowd about different issues in which the Ames/ISU Greens is involved.

Rankin said there also will be literature for people to pick up.

“This is going to be a lot of fun, but it is also supposed to get information out into the community and be educational as well,” Rankin said.

If the party is a success, Rankin said she would like to hold similar events once a month to get more people involved in the Ames/ISU Greens.

“This is the first time we have done something out in the public,” she said. “We really hope to get more people interested in us. Right now, our core group is only about 15 people.”

Rankin said the Ames/ISU Greens is a value-based political group founded on four main areas: ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and peace.

The local group is affiliated with the national Green Party.