The Atlantic County Utilities Authority sets aside a special day each year to bring our community together and celebrate our earth. We invite you to join us to have fun and learn how we can make a positive change for the future of our environment!
Sunday, April 24, 2016
10 am to 4 pm
Haneman Environmental Park
6700 Delilah Road
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Crafters/Vendors
A wide variety of items will be for sale during the festival such as handmade jewelry, energy efficient lighting, vegetable and native plants, bird houses and feeders, baked goods, alpaca products, books, handmade glass items, local honey, health/nutritional products, rain barrels, repurposed/upcycled items and art, and fair trade products. See “Vendors” tab for list of registered vendors.
Interactive Activities and Exhibits
Wind, Solar and Wastewater Facility Tours – First tour leaves at 10 a.m. Last shuttle at 3:15 p.m. (Shuttle Near Big Tent)
Take a tour of New Jersey’s first commercial wind farm. Jitneys powered by compressed natural gas will shuttle participants from the Environmental Park in Egg Harbor Township to the wind farm and back. This tour also includes the ACUA Wastewater Treatment Plant, solar project and green roof located at the Atlantic City facility.
Jungle John – 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. (Recycling Center)
Meet “Wally Gator” the American alligator, “Larry” the boa constrictor and other “friends” at Jungle John’s Reptile Show! Jungle John presents an educational and fun show, including the animals mentioned above and about 10-12 others from the reptile and insect world (nothing dangerous or poisonous). During the show, the audience will have an opportunity to be “hands on” with the alligator or the snake.
Woodford Cedar Run – 2:15 p.m. (Recycling Center)
See the Raptors and Reptiles Show. Observe each species’ unique characteristics and learn about their habitats and adaptations for survival.
Middle Earth Studios – 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. (Grass Area)
Middle Earth Studios presents: King Dayvon and the giant Pumpkin, This tale features knights armed with swords and shields, beautiful princesses (who also happen to be the kingdom’s finest gardeners), the dwarves and animals of the Lonely Mountain, and some wicked goblins from the Black Caves. Come join this quest to recover a prized organic pumpkin stolen by the goblins. Bring cameras because the most important people in the show – your children & friends – will want to re-live this experience.
Recycling Center Tours – all day (Recycling Center)
This sophisticated system of conveyors, magnets, eddy currents, optical sorting and manual quality control sorting is incredible! Come see how mixed recycling collected from Atlantic County residents, schools and businesses is processed and separated into valuable commodities to market.
The Turtlesinger – all day (Recycling Center)
An interactive program and where you will learn about, touch and feed live turtles.
Meet Supercan – all day (Various Locations)
Meet and take photos with our favorite Mascot Supercan.
Free Seedlings – all day (Around the Pond)
The ACUA will be giving out a mixed variety of free tree seedlings, as well as free seed packets.
Wetlands Institute – all day (Recycling Center)
A touch tank will be available.
Touch a Truck – all day (Outside Recycling Center)
Get up close to one of ACUA’s recycling trucks and learn how they work from one of our collection professionals.
Cape May County Park & Zoo – all day (Outside Recycling Center)
The zoo will be bringing live animals to touch and artifacts.
Bass Pro Shop Fishing and Archery Challenge – all day (Grass Area)
Atlantic County Livestock and Poultry Club Petting Zoo – all day (Garden)
This club will showcase various farm animals for a petting zoo.
Live Compost Demonstration – all day (Garden)
Join the Atlantic County Master Composters for information on how easy it is to turn your food scrapes, leaves and grass into valuable soil.
Workshops
A variety of workshops will take place throughout the day in our amphitheater located off the large pond.
Native Plants for Pollinators – 11 a.m.
Speaker: Raven Ahmed, Earth First Natives
Pollinators need your help! Learn about some of the simple ways you can create food and habitat for butterflies, bees and other creatures who are actually some of our greatest allies. Native plants benefit not only these important ‘pollinators’but also provide beautiful, low maintenance landscaping that can you time, water and money.
Permaculture – 12 p.m.
Speaker: Jen Jennings, Certified Permaculture Designer, Remedi Earth
Looking for a way to improve your health, finances, and the environment? Join us as we cover the basics of permaculture and what it can do for you and your family, community and the planet.
The Life Cycle of Honeybees – 1 p.m.
Speaker: Gary Schempp, Busy Bees, NJ
Learn about the life cycle of honeybees: importance, identification, pollination, facts and fun. View an observation hive, learn about mankind’s beneficial insect and enjoy a free tasting of pure, raw, wildflower honey!
How to Make a Rain Barrel – 2 p.m.
Speaker: Brigid Kane Miller, AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador
Stormwater in NJ causes flooding and pollutes our precious waterways. Minimize the amount of stormwater running off your property by installing a rain barrel. At this workshop, you’ll learn how to conserve water and recycle the rain with a rain barrel.
Music & Entertainment
Magic of Energy – 12 and 2 p.m. (Food Court Stage)
An exciting, skillful, comical exploration of renewable energy resources: Solar, Hydroelectric, Biomass, Geothermal and Wind Power. What about our trash? Garbage can not only be recycled, it can be converted to energy! The show use a series of comedy magic & circus tricks to explode everyone’s understanding of plasma generators, composting and conservation!
Valerie Vaughn – 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. (Food Court Stage)
Also known as New Jersey’s Troubadour, Valerie has a vast collection of original songs about the legends and lore of New Jersey. Her songs celebrate the spirit of people and places of the state.
Awards Ceremonies
Participants and winners of the Recycle-Bowl competition, as well as winners from the Recycled Art contest will be announced during the festival.