The second annual Watertown Eco Fest will feature activities including electric bike test rides, vendors of sustainable products, activities for kids, and more. The event, hosted by the City of Watertown, will also include representatives from City departments and community organizations focused on sustainability.
Eco Fest will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9 at the Commander’s Mansion, 440 Talcott Ave., Watertown.
Watertown Sustainability Planner Mia Kania said Eco Fest the City created Eco Fest after the City Council approved the Resilient Watertown Climate and Energy Plan.
“It started last year, which was right after we had expanded the Sustainability Team, essentially doubling,” Kania said. “With that increased capacity, we really wanted to focus on outreach.”
Eco Fest will feature a variety of activities to help people start practicing sustainability, Kania said. One addition this year is a clothing swap.
“We’ve been collecting clothing donations for about two weeks and now we have an incredibly large amount of donations,” Kania said. “We’ve got some volunteers (from Watertown Helps Out) who are going to help us sort all of the clothing, by size and type. And then during Eco Fest, folks can come to the Mansion and essentially ‘shop,’ but everything is free, and you can take any secondhand clothing that you might want to have in your wardrobe.”
Visitors can take part in the family bike ride, which is a subgroup of Community Pedal Power. There will also be hosting e-cargo bike test rides.
“They have volunteers bring their own bikes, and then folks can test ride a bunch of different models, because they’re not just limited to what’s in a bike shop,” Kania said.
A group of EV owners will also be at the event.
“They’ll be bringing in their cars so folks can peek in and talk to real folks about what exactly it’s like day-to-day actually having an EV,” Kania said “In addition to that, we’ll also be having some City vehicles. Police will be bringing their EVs.”
Some of the activities planned for Eco Fest include hands-on learning activities for kids with Da Vinci Jr. and the Museum of Science. Weather permitting, there will be a bounce house, Kania added.
Under a tent set up next to the Mansion, nearly 40 vendors will have tables.
“The festival will feature a variety of local businesses that provide environmentally friendly products and services, from home heating companies to low-waste home goods purveyors to locally-sourced and bulk food goods, offering residents a chance to discover and support their neighbors and make changes in their everyday lives,” Kania said.
Food will be available for purchase from Red Lentil and O’some Cafe.
Eco Fest is also an opportunity for the City to demonstrate what it has been doing to become more resilient and sustainable.
“Watertown has done so much to lead the region on climate change and sustainability, but there
is so much more to do,” Kania said. “We see this event as an annual opportunity to celebrate our progress, spotlight opportunities for residents to get involved, and educate people of all ages on how to contribute to a more resilient Watertown.”
For more information go to www.watertownecofest.com