Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, in partnership with the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, presents the 13th annual ECO Fair: Artful Living, Handmade & Homegrown on Saturday, May 4, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ECO Fair is a free Family Day event inspired by natural living and features the handmade works of New Jersey artists, native and wildlife friendly plants, locally grown herbs and vegetables, environmental organizations, hands-on activities for families, live music, and more. Admission to all WheatonArts exhibits and Artist Studio demonstrations are free and open to the public for the day, part of “Family Days! Presented by PNC Arts Alive!”
Event highlights include:
• Keynote Speaker Pat Sutton presents “It’s a Jungle Out There: LIFE & DEATH in the Wildlife Garden” at 1:30 p.m. in the Event Center, followed by a book signing. Presented by CU Maurice River.
• Herbs, native trees and shrubs, wildflowers, pollinators, tomato plants, and other plants from a variety of local nurseries and garden clubs, including Rutgers Master Gardeners of Cumberland County, will be available for purchase.
• Handmade works by New Jersey artists will be on display and available for purchase.
• Free hands-on activities for families include tree ring printing, paper bead making, and leaf printing on fabric, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• A Butterfly Tent with accompanying children’s activities will be open in the Brownstone. Sponsored by Rutgers Master Gardeners of Cumberland County.
• A Scavenger Hunt will take place along the WheatonArts Nature Trail, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The first 60 people to complete the hunt will receive an Explorer button! Led by CU Maurice River Naturalists and Nature Enthusiasts.
• Visit the Ceramic Studio to create a seed-filled clay pod to plant or smash! Available 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., while supplies last.
• The Rutgers Cooperative Extension will provide Rain Barrel Workshops from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This fee-based workshop requires pre-registration. To pre-register, contact Brandi Williams at 856.451.2800 ext. 1 or brandiwi@co.cumberland.nj.us
• The CU Maurice River Booth will provide materials and instruction on how to make a native solitary bee hotel, while materials last.
• NJ Watershed Ambassador will be hosting hourly hands-on demonstrations on the benthic macroinvertebrates living within our local rivers and streams, a vital part of our ecosystem.
• Glass bubble blowing will be available in the Glass Studio, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Pre-registration is required. Register online at wheatonarts.org.
• A LARGE-scale glass watering can will be created in the Glass Studio, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. See how the parts fit together during the 3:30 p.m. narrated demonstration.
• Pre-register to create glass fused magnets! Available for ages 5 & up at an event discount of $10 per person. Call to register at 856.825.6800 ext. 152.
• Meet the Cumberland County Recycling Team and learn the basics of recycling while creating your own recycled plastic bracelets. Available while supplies last.
• Local non-profits will provide information on wellness, healthy living, and environmental causes.
• Live music by Package Goods Orchestra, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• The Cumberland County Improvement Authority will be accepting plastic shopping bags for recycling. Exchange a minimum of ten plastic bags to receive an ECO-friendly gift! Available while supplies last, one gift per customer.
• A variety of food and snack vendors will be on the grounds, along with the new GateHouse Café located at the main entrance of WheatonArts.
The ECO Fair offers something for everyone. Whether it’s activities for children, the high-energy tunes of the Package Goods Orchestra, listening to knowledgeable guest speakers, finding plants for your garden, browsing handmade artworks, feeding butterflies, learning about recycling, or simply strolling around the WheatonArts campus on a beautiful spring day, the ECO Fair is a fun-filled, family-friendly event!
WheatonArts is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Open July 4. For more information about WheatonArts, call 1-800-998-4552 or 856-825-6800, or visit online at wheatonarts.org. For more information about the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, call 856-825-3700 or visit ccia-net.com.
WheatonArts strives to ensure the accessibility of its exhibitions, events, and programs to all persons with disabilities. Please provide two weeks notice for additional needs. Patrons with hearing and speech disabilities may contact WheatonArts through the New Jersey Relay Service (TRS) 800-852-7899 or by dialing 711.
Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey Cultural Trust. WheatonArts receives general operating support from the New Jersey Historical Commission, Division of Cultural Affairs in the New Jersey Department of State, and is supported in part by the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.