Greening Up For Newtown’s Fifth Earth Day Celebration

By Kendra Bobowick

Promoting “awareness, smiles, and education,” Newtown Earth Day Committee members are getting ready for the town’s fifth annual celebration.

On Saturday, April 28, from 10 am to 4 pm, the Newtown Middle School grounds will again fill with environmentally conscious activity, welcoming live music, vendors, demonstrations, and both crafts and educational activities for all.

“We have a great event planned,” said Earth Day Committee entertainment coordinator and Newtown Forest Association (NFA) member Aaron Coopersmith. “I hope it’s a means to bring continuity and community to Newtown, it’s a good cause.”

As he and other organizers have noted, in the past five years since the Newtown Earth Day celebration began, it has grown in popularity.

With a full day’s activities planned, Mr Coopersmith said, “We’re trying to make it as interactive, personal, and family oriented as we can.”

As this year’s push to coordinate Earth Day in Newtown begins, another NFA and Earth Day Committee member, Guy Peterson, stressed a two-fold goal: “The whole purpose is to provide environmental and Earth Day-related awareness to the town and generate funds for a student scholarship.” Last year’s event generated a $1,000 to benefit the Newtown Scholarship Fund.

“There is no question we’ll aim for the goal again, and do even better if we can,” he said.

Regarding this year’s event, he said, “We try to attract environmentally focused nonprofits, solar groups, alternative energy companies, vendors, local entertainment; we try to attract youth groups to bring in more young people.”

According to the event website, NewtownEarthDay.Org, “This community event will bring together schools, municipal and charitable organizations, sustainable vendors, and nonprofits, in a synergistic celebration of good deeds for our space on the planet.

“Organized by various members of our community, the festival will provide a forum for residents of all ages to become more engaged in the collective consciousness and responsibility we owe to the health of Newtown — and to our overall region’s soil, air, and water.

“To help make a difference, a portion of all money collected will now be slated for supporting a green scholarship at Newtown High School.”

According to a recent e-mail from the Earth Day Committee members, “Our festival is designed to highlight Newtown’s abundant natural resources, help our community become a bit ‘greener,’ and continue to raise funds for our high school scholarship.”

Guests can participate in activities such as the Lions Club’s Lose The Litter — an effort to clean up Newtown’s streets. Event coordinators are hoping to bring back the Birds of Prey exhibit sponsored last year by the Sharon Audubon Center. As in past years, Sustainable Energy Commission members will be available to help residents learn more about signing up for clean energy through their energy provider. Those interested should bring a copy of their electric bill.

All-day music, food, local crafts and vendors, and demonstrations will take place.

Groups including the NFA will be available to speak with guests about their organizations. For example, the NFA has been celebrating Earth Day “since before term was coined,” said Mr Peterson. He hopes to inform guests of the NFA’s properties and trails throughout town.

This year’s visitors to the NFA booth will receive sapling spruce trees.

To volunteer in this year’s Earth Day effort, join the event as a vendor, or to learn more, visit NewtownEarthDay.org. E-mail contacts are available on the website.

The committee is seeking festival support to arrange tables and chairs and electrical setups for booths, to help register vendors, festival stage support and moving equipment, trash collection, and breakdown.

A recent event e-mail states, “Over the last five years, our festival has grown notably and we anticipate over 3,500 attendees and more than 80 local businesses at our Vendor Fair.”

This year’s event underwriters to date are Iroquois Gas Transmission System, the Lions Club International, and Housatonic Valley Waldorf School.