Earth Day is just around the corner and New Fairfield is ready to celebrate the occasion. The First
Selectman’s office invites everyone to the First Annual Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, the
22nd—come out and “be a part of helping to clean up the Earth and keep it that way for the future of our
children.” Town officials decided to mark the day with a packed schedule of events that range from clean-ups and crafts to hikes and historic home tours. The free event is designed to be fun for all ages and everyone is welcome. Jean Green, from the First Selectman’s office, explained that there will be town-wide clean-up, followed by a celebration on Memorial Field in the afternoon. “We wanted to hold an event for Earth Day in order to help clean up the garbage on Town roads and raise Earth awareness.” Residents are welcome to pick up a garbage bag or two at Town Hall.
The busy day starts with the 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. clean-up session, during which time Town officials hope residents will collect garbage in their neighborhoods. Green said, ideally, “residents will take pride in their accomplishment of helping to clean up their neighborhood and continue to keep their neighborhood clean throughout the year.” In addition to residents cleaning up, local Girl Scouts will pick up trash at Hidden Valley to the sounds of the musical group, The Bandolins. Also, a hike will occur in Komlo Preserve at 10:00 a.m. A super family friendly day, all ages are welcome to join. Green suggests that “A wonderful way for families to begin the day is to pick up a garbage bag at Town Hall and collect garbage with their children.” New Fairfield High School students should bring along a community service form, as they are encouraged to earn service hours while cleaning up around the town.
In addition to picking up garbage, this event is being held in conjunction with the Town’s 15th annual Soil Testing Day. There will be water and soil sampling tests available from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Instructions for soil sample collection are available at the CLA website: candlewoodlakeauthority.org. The New Fairfield Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) will have water test kits available from 8 AM until 12 Noon on Veterans Way next to Veterans Park. The lab will test for Total Coliform & E. Coli, Chloride, Hardness, Sodium, Nitrate as N, and pH. The fee for the test is $60.00.
Memorial Field is the place to be after noon, though forays are recommended to the Library, where they will be hosting a presentation about climate change at 12:30 p.m. and also one about bees at 2:00 p.m., as well as offering crafts for children, such as suncatchers, bird house decoration, and planting in flower pots. Green also recommended a stop at the Senior Center, as they will host “a Water Molecule game at 1:15 p.m. and there will be tours of the historic houses behind the Senior Center starting at 12:00 p.m.” The water molecule game is intended for children and adults–the participants will simulate the movement of water within the water cycle. There will also be locations to enter a raffle, the winners of which will be drawn at 3:00 p.m.
Bring a blanket or chairs and listen to live music, plus choose from a host of food trucks that will surely be a hit from 12:00 to 3:30. Enjoy The Coop Food, featuring chicken sandwiches, egg sandwiches, and sides; savor tacos from the Moonlight Mobile Kitchen Taco Road Trip Food Truck; and top that off with dessert from Jesse’s Ice Cream Truck. There will be more delicious offerings, such as sliders from Olde 37 Patio and Grill, a Portofino’s 10%-off Earth Day discount for dinner, and the New Fairfield Food Center will feature an Earth Day Sandwich that comes with a free cookie.
Green explained that there will be many vendors and informational tables on Memorial Field. These include electric vehicles from Subaru and Hyundai; representatives from Trinity Solar Energy, Halas Farms, and Geremia Gardens; wares such as recycled baskets, plant-based beauty products, recycled art, bags made from denim, and more. Plus, learn about the Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust, Candlewood Lake Authority, Economic Development Commission, Friends of Ball Pond, Great Hollow Nature Preserve, Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority, the New Fairfield High School Environmental Club, and the RAW Design Lab.
By Sarah Opdahl