Earth Day Network has announced plans for the Mobilize the Earth rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Earth Day, including appearances by CHEAP TRICK, DAVE MASON, KICKING DAISIES and THE EXPLORERS CLUB. The April 22 event to galvanize the environmental movement will run from noon to 7:00 p.m.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on the National Mall for the event, joined by civic leaders, government officials and celebrities. Speakers will include EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Atlanta Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli, Indy Car driver Leilani Münter, members of Congress including Reps. John ingell and Edward Markey, representatives from US government agencies, and the heads of major national and international NGOs. Denis Hayes, organizer of the first Earth Day in 1970, will also speak. More performers and speakers will be announced in the coming days.

The entire rally will be streamed live on the web at Earthday.org.

The event on the National Mall will include an EcoVillage with dozens of interactive exhibits, including renewable energy demonstrations, educational workshops and voter registration. Exhibitors include NASA, the United Nations Environment Programme, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Yasuni Initiative / Embassy of Ecuador, Kids vs. Global Warming, Tremont Electric, Solar City, and Interfaith Moral Action on Climate Change.

The rally on the National Mall, Americas’ premier national park, is the centerpiece of the global Earth Day and part of a vast network of Earth Day events around the world. More than one billion people in 192 countries participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. Earth Day Network, who organizes the global Earth Day, has set the theme for Earth Day 2012 as Mobilize the Earth.