ACUA Earth Day Festival on April 23, 2017

Don't miss the 27th Annual ACUA Earth Day Festival on Sunday, April 23, 2017 at the ACUA location in Egg Harbor Township. This free celebration is a great way to bring the family together for fun-filled day of activities and learning. Start with a Color Run at 8:30 am to benefit Field of Dreams and then enjoy a full schedule of events including music, food and tours of the facility. Free parking and tons of fun!

Robin Stoloff talks with Rick Dovey, President of the ACUA about the days events on Living Well with Robin Stoloff, Sunday 9-11am WFPG. Check out the photos in the video and see the schedule below.

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 "Vendor" Tab if you are interested in becoming a vendor.

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 Located at Back of Recycling Center)
Take a tour of New Jersey’s first commercial wind farm. Participants will be shuttled 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.

4H Petting Zoo - All Day (Garden Area)

Woodford Cedar Run - 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. and 2 - 2:30 p.m. (Recycling Center)
See the Raptors and Reptiles Show. Observe each species' unique characteristics and learn about their habitats and adaptations for survival.

Eyes of the Wild - When Animals Attack - 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3 to 4 p.m. (Recycling Center)
Many mammals have developed amazing characteristics to avoid becoming "lunch." Learn how these creatures use some of their self defense tools.

Middle Earth Studios - 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. (Grass Area)
Join Middle Earth Studios and be a part of the performance to find out why the pirates are trying to lure the Ladies of London to their tropical island in the New World. Bring cameras because the most important people in the show, your children and friends, will want to re-live this experience.

Mini Yoga Sessions - 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. (Garden Area)
Join Grow Yoga in our garden area for a 30-minute mini yoga session (mats provided for up to 30 people).

Recycling Center Tours - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Recycling Center - Second Floor)
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 Giveaway - all day (Around the Pond)
ACUA will give away a mixed variety of red maple and beach plum tree seedlings, as well as zinnia and green bean packets.

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.

Litter Hunt - all day
Download the app SeeClickFix on your phone. Find the “litter” we've hidden at the festival marked with a red x. Snap a photo of the litter and upload to SeeClickFix (Leave “litter” in its place; don’t worry we’ll clean it up later!) Report at least 5 pieces and be entered to win a prize!

Recycled Art Contest Artwork Display - all day (Recycling Center)
See the artwork submitted by area students and artists for our third annual Recycled Art Contest. Awards will be announced from 11 to 11:30 a.m.

Stockton University Plant Sale - all day (Greenhouse)
Click here to see what plant varieties will be for sale.

Free 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.
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 partners, but also provide beautiful, low-maintenance landscaping that can save you time, water and money.

Rain Barrel Workshop - 12 p.m.
Ashley Aversa, NJDEP AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador
Storm water in NJ causes flooding and pollutes our precious waterways. At this workshop, you'll learn how to conserve water and recycle the rain with rain barrels!

The Importance of Honey Bees and Pollination - 1 p.m.
Gary Schempp, Busy Bees NJ
Learn about the history, biology (life-cycle) and importance of honey bees and pollination, as well as the benefits of honey, pollen and other products of the hive. Colony collapse and what non-beekeepers can do to help will also be addressed.

Homestead Herbalism - Uses for Common 'Weeds' - 2 p.m.
Susan Hess, Still Room at Pitch Pines
Learn some fun, edible and even therapeutic uses for common 'weeds' that grow right around us. Susan will bring common abundant native plants for identification, handouts to take home and samples to taste after the workshop!

Gardening for Butterflies - 3 p.m.
Mary Lenahan, Monarch Teacher Network
Butterflies are beautiful winged visitors to our gardens. Learn what native plants are food for both caterpillars and butterflies. Learn how to keep these colorful critters in your gardens from spring to fall!

Music & Entertainment

Live Music by Steve Kuzma - 10 to 11 a.m. (Food Court Stage)

Magic of Energy - 11:30 a.m. 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.