MILLVILLE, NJ (April 19, 2024) – Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, in partnership with the  Authority of Cumberland County, presents the 17th annual ECO Fair: Artful Living, Handmade & Homegrown on Saturday, May 4, 2024, 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 WheatonArts’ 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.
• Enjoy complimentary hands-on craft activities, including butterfly puppets, cardboard creatures, homemade bird feeders, and more. Free while supplies last. 
• 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!
• Join CU Maurice River Naturalists and Enthusiasts for a tour of the WheatonArts Nature Trail at 10:30 a.m. and participate in the scavenger hunt for prizes. 
• 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.
• Join local author Samantha DeFrancisco for hourly readings of her environmental children’s book, The Litter Busters.
• Join Folklife exhibiting artist Kofi Donkor and the Sankofa Ensemble from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for a unique collection of programming and workshops focused on African cultures and traditions.
• 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. 
• 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. 
• Experience lively artist demonstrations, such as large-scale painting with muralist J. Kenneth Leap, neon glassmaking with Eve Hoyt and Alissa Eberle, wood gnome carving with Domenick Maggio, and more. 
• 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, 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 4, 2024, 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 over five decades, WheatonArts, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, has earned regional, national, and international recognition for its unique collections and programs. The Museum of American Glass 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, pottery, 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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