VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE – Though the wind picked up here and there, the rain held off for the fourth annual EarthFest hosted in Fayetteville’s Canal Landing Park on May 4.
The festival included a row of electric vehicles, an electric bus that took attendees of all ages around the block the whole day and a lineup of local musical performers that included Van and Betts, Josh and Meag, Irv Lyons with Loren Barrigar, and No Relation.
With Solar Simplified as the title sponsor, the free, open-to-the-public event was organized by volunteers from the Town of Manlius environmental committee Sustainable Manlius in partnership with the similarly sustainability-focused Village of Fayetteville committee Renewable Fayetteville.
The fest centered around the more than 50 eco-friendly booths set up in the park that day. That included Climate Change Awareness & Action, which had volunteers informing people about their carbon emission reduction challenge as they encouraged attendees to switch to electric heat pumps, introduce solar power to their homes, buy green and repurpose materials when they can.
Elsewhere the Manlius Watershed Stewards educated passersby about their mission to foster a resilient, healthy watershed by focusing on flooding risks and measures to reduce stormwater pollution while holding recreational opportunities for the community. The Town of Manlius contains Limestone Creek and its tributaries as well as parts of the Butternut Creek and Chittenango Creek watersheds.
Individuals there on behalf of Withy Hollow Flower Farm out of Erieville presented arrangements of flowers like amaranthus, delphiniums and dahlias they grew from seeds, and faithkeeper and repatriator of cultural objects Tony Gonyea, a member of the Onondaga Nation, was weaving a two row wampum belt behind his table.
There were also activities like a bird identification game and rock paintings, as well as a scavenger hunt for kids put on by the Fayetteville Free Library.
The food trucks onsite represented Wrap N Roll, Syracuse Halal Gyro, and The Saucy Sandwich, while raffle prizes to bid on included a smart thermostat, a one-night hotel stay, and a solar-powered watch.
