On Saturday, May 4 community members will be able to sport their green thumb at the Greenerborough Sustainability Fair. The fair is planned to take place at ConVal Regional High School from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The fair is held to promote sustainability and the effort to be more environmentally conscious. Events featured will include a farmers market, petting zoo, pony rides, homemade ice cream, live music and plenty of information on how to live a more sustainable life, which includes a community conversation on how can we reach 100 percent renewable energy.
The fair was revived last year after being gone for a few years. Head of strategic planning for the Economic Development Authority for Greenerborough Jeanne Dietsch brought back the fair because she felt it was important for the community to be more aware of sustainability efforts.
Originally, the fair was held on Grove Street, but merchants had trouble setting up. Last year the fair was held at the Peterborough Community Center, but the parking lot was not able to hold everyone who attended. By being held at ConVal this year the fair will be able to host even more exhibits and hold more attendees, Dietsch said.
“This year is really exciting. We’ve added a lot of energy exhibits, it’s a little more ‘tech-y’,” Dietsch said. “There’s going to be electric car demonstrations and also the usual farmers market, petting zoo and pony rides.”
One of the goals with this year’s fair was to combine the traditional concept of sustainability with new, advanced technology that allows people to be more green in their own home, like solar panels, for example.
“We really need farms and local foods and all that is great. We also want to add the tech side of that now,” Dietsch said.
The fair will also include an art contest for all students K-12. The theme for the contest is Making Alternative Energy Beautiful: How Can We Change People’s Perception of Alternative Energy Generation Equipment So That We Stop the NIMBY Response?
NIMBY response refers to resident’s resistance towards developments in their community, for the sole reason that it is close to them, even if it may be a positive change.
“The art side is changing people’s attitudes,” Dietsch said. “A lot of people think solar panels are ugly. I don’t think it’s any less attractive than a cornfield. We have to change those perceptions.”
Students can enter the art contest up until the day of the event. Awards will be presented in three categories: grades K- 4, 5-8 and 9-12.
The event will also host a number of exhibits and food by Cool Chefs, which is a program by the Cornucopia Project that teaches students in grades three through six how to make healthy meals and snacks during a five-week-long after-school program.
Tours of Cornucopia, an organization that works to promote the importance of healthy food and the role of food and agriculture in health and environmental sustainability, and tours of MAxT Makerspace, a community makerspace will be given.
A panel presentation entitled, What can I do to most help make our world sustainable? will also be held. This panel will help inform attendees of simple things they can do in their own homes to work towards their sustainability.
Frolling Energy, the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food and others partnered with the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce to make the fair possible. GoMonadnock and ConVal school staff members have also lent a helping hand in publicizing and putting the event together.
“I hope they’ll [attendees] walk away with a feeling of ‘oh, I can actually do something about the fight against climate change’ but also thinking ‘wow, that was a lot of fun’,” Dietsch said.
The full schedule of events and additional information for Greenerborough can be found at greenerborough.org.