MILLVILLE, NJ (April 18, 2023) – Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, in partnership with the  Authority of Cumberland County, presents the 16th annual ECO Fair: Artful Living, Handmade & Homegrown on Saturday, May 6, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. ECO Fair is a free Family Day event inspired by natural and artful living, featuring local gardening clubs, including Rutgers Master Gardeners with various native and wildlife-friendly plants, locally grown herbs and vegetables for sale, handmade works of New Jersey artists, environmental organizations, Nature Trail tours, eco-friendly 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:

• A wide selection of herbs, native trees and shrubs, wildflowers, pollinators, tomato plants, and other plants from local nurseries and garden clubs, including Rutgers Master Gardeners of Cumberland County, will be available for purchase.
• Browse and shop handmade works created by a variety of New Jersey artists and craftspeople.
• Keynote Speaker Dr. Larry Niles will present on Horseshoe Crabs and Red Knot Birds at 1 p.m. in the WheatonArts Event Center. Presented by CU Maurice River.
• Enjoy complimentary hands-on craft activities, including paper beads, pom-pom ice cream cones, and dried bean mosaics. Free while supplies last. 
• Join CU Maurice River Naturalists and Enthusiasts for a tour of the WheatonArts Nature Trail at 10:30 a.m.  
• Take the Nature Trail scavenger hunt! The first 50 people to complete the hunt will receive an official Nature Trail Explorer button.
• 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.
• Create glass-fused suncatchers, magnets, and pendants in the Education Studio! Available for ages 5 and up (with parental assistance) at event-discounted prices. 

• Meet with local non-profits providing information on wellness, healthy living, and environmental causes.
• Laugh and learn during a magical comedy with Magician Bill Kerwood, explaining in a fun way how to recycle in Cumberland County. Discover simple yet amazing tricks that you can do for your friends and family. Presented by the Authority of Cumberland County.
• Visit The Authority booth to learn how to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Play the “Know What to Throw” recycle education game and get creative by designing your own reusable bag!
• At 12 p.m., learn how to compost like a pro by joining author Renaee Smith for a composting workshop and free book signing. While supplies last, one book per family. Presented by The Authority of Cumberland County.
• Visit the City of Millville Recycling Department booth to learn how to recycle right! Grab some recycling information and promotional surprises, and download the free “Recycle Coach” app to learn more about how to recycle in your municipality. 
• Visit the Rutgers Master Gardeners booth for Helpline on the Road to submit your gardening and lawn questions to be answered by the Master Gardeners!
• From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., join in as New Jersey master artist Ritu Pandya creates a community mandala using leaves, flowers, tree branches, stones, and other materials found in nature.
• Experience a lively demonstration of large-scale painting with mural artist & glass painter J. Kenneth Leap.
• Bring your old crayons to the WheatonArts General Store to be recycled during ECO Fair through Crazy Crayon’s National Crayon Recycling Program.
• Listen to live music by Package Goods Orchestra from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• A variety of food and snack vendors will be on the grounds, along with picnic table areas.

The ECO Fair offers something for everyone. Whether it’s craft activities for children, the high-energy tunes of the Package Goods Orchestra, listening to knowledgeable guest speakers, finding the perfect plants for your garden, browsing handmade artworks from dozens of artists, learning about recycling practices, or simply strolling around the WheatonArts campus on a beautiful spring day, ECO Fair is a fun-filled, family-friendly event! 

ECO Fair is free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, 2023, rain or shine. WheatonArts is open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. 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 Authority of Cumberland County, call 856-825-3700 or visit theauthoritynj.com.

WheatonArts strives to ensure the accessibility of its exhibitions, events, and programs to all persons with disabilities. Provide two weeks’ notice for additional needs. Patrons with hearing and speech disabilities may contact WheatonArts through the New Jersey Relay Service (TRS) at 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, and the New Jersey Cultural Trust. WheatonArts also 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.  

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About WheatonArts: With a history spanning five decades, WheatonArts has earned regional, national, and international recognition for its unique collections and programs. The Museum of American Glass (accredited by the American Alliance of Museums) houses one of the most comprehensive collections of American glass in the country – from the first glass bottles made in America to celebrated works by Dale Chihuly, Paul Stankard, and other contemporary glass artists. Visitors experience the art of glassmaking, ceramics, and flameworking in the Artist Studios. From April through December, the Museum of American Glass and Down Jersey Folklife Center present special exhibitions. WheatonArts also offers traditional and multicultural programs, classes, workshops, performances, and weekend festivals. The award-winning Museum Stores offer traditional and contemporary art and craft in all mediums. 

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