EarthFest planned for May 4

VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE – Presented by Sustainable Manlius and Renewable Fayetteville with Solar Simplified as the title sponsor, EarthFest will be held May 4 at Canal Landing Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
It will feature an electric vehicle car show, booths touching on eco-friendly initiatives, and an ever-growing number of raffle prizes.
Food trucks representing Saucy Sandwiches and Wrap N Roll will be parked onsite as well, and there’s set to be live music from Latin-influenced jazz and blues singer Irv Lyons Jr., a duo known for playing rock, country and pop Josh and Meag, the acoustic band No Relation and classical performers from the Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District.
Manlius Town Councilor Katelyn Kriesel is the chair of Sustainable Manlius, the group leading the organizing of the event. For the town event, the group is partnering with the similarly environmentally conscious group Renewable Fayetteville, and it’s an opportunity for both to highlight their work.
The planning team for EarthFest also includes Craig Polhamus, the chair of Fayetteville’s historic preservation commission, as the community chair for the event in charge of logistics and layout; Fayetteville Deputy Mayor Mark Matt, who, as a member of Renewable Fayetteville, has been working with the village’s department of public works to block off the street, put up banners and get the park ready and looking “spectacular” as the venue; volunteer Alice Massa, who has been securing raffle prizes; and town project manager Rebecca Broome, who has been coordinating the food truck side and handling administrative details on the back end.
The festival focused on climate action and environmental sustainability will go on, rain or shine, and if it’s raining, people are invited to still show up with their boots, raincoats and umbrellas.
Kriesel said the event puts an emphasis on the use of renewable energy and the aim to reduce household and vehicle carbon emissions. Like last year, there will be an electric school bus on hand giving rides to attendees.
“People loved that last year,” Kriesel said. “I’ve never seen people so excited to ride a school bus.”
The first EarthFest in 2021 was held remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the videos for that five-part webinar series, all of which started with musical performances, are still viewable on townofmanlius.org.
The second EarthFest was in person at the Fayetteville Free Library, and it had a row of electric vehicles in the parking lot on the Stickley Museum side along with live music courtesy of Common Council member and beatboxer Joe Driscoll.
Last year, because the library had a construction project going on, the idea came about to bring the festival to Canal Landing Park.
EarthFest 2024 is being held on May 4 instead of in April – a bit closer to Earth Day to better ensure sunnier, clearer weather, Kriesel said. She said it worked out because otherwise the festival would’ve fallen during the spring break for local school districts.
“We thought we’d buy ourselves another week or two, and if we get into May, maybe it’ll be better weather,” Kriesel said. “It has snowed on Mother’s Day more than once in my memory though, so fingers crossed.”
Kriesel said she enjoys having the event held in Canal Landing Park because of the proximity to the town hall, Resource Cycling and the feeder canal for the Erie Canal system.
“It gives us an opportunity to be right in the heart of the town and hopefully bring out as many people as we can with the park being centrally located,” Kriesel said. “It’s also really a beautiful spot. The village of Fayetteville has been a great partner in this.”
She also mentioned that people are able to bike directly to the festival from DeWitt, Cazenovia and beyond—an aspect that puts a spotlight on the local trail system.
For more information and forms to complete for people looking to volunteer in any way, table on behalf of their organization, showcase their EV, sign up for notifications, donate raffle prizes or otherwise support the festival which relies completely on sponsorships rather than town funding, visit the Sustainable Manlius page on townofmanlius.org.