Celebrate Our Earth Tent

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

This year, we added a whole tent devoted to celebrating the Earth! You asked for more green activities, so we combined Fool for Art with Chesterfield County’s Environmental Fair. Plus, we invited the American Chemical Society, the Department of Environmental Quality, the American Chestnut Foundation, the Virginia Farm Bureau and many others to join in the fun.

Hands-on Activities with John Tyler & the American Chemical Society

• Use your senses to create your own fragranced bath salts.
• Create a beautiful butterfly using chromatography.
• Make your own kaleidoscope.
• Create a beach in a bottle.
• Make a water purification system.
• Try your hand at making a fossil.
• Make your own rocket.
• Dig for dinosaurs.
• Find out how to make your own volcano, and then watch it erupt.
• Blend old paper to pulp to make recycled paper.
• Test the effects of oil on bird feathers.
• Hunt for goodies in a landfill scavenger hunt.
• Lose the blues with CO2!
• Make snow, and use it create your own Frosty the Snowcan.

Chesterfield County Information and Resources

• Learn how to make an environmental difference in 15 minutes with Chesterfield’s Anti-Litter Program.
• Get area-specific gardening tips and tricks from the Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners.
• See and hear how Fleet Maintenance uses bio fuels and alternative fuel vehicles to keep the county running.
• Find out how Parks and Recreation promotes composting at its locations.
• Learn about the water quality and environment management of Falling Creek/Proctors Creek.
• Be smart and good to the planet when you learn how to properly dispose of hazardous household chemicals with the help of Waste & Resource Recovery.
• Are you a county employee? If so, you’ll want to find out about Chesterfield University’s environmental education and course offerings.
• Discover the resources available at Chesterfield County’s public libraries, "your place for arts, culture and information."
• Explore displays and tables on energy, environmental engineering, watersheds and environmental management systems.

Other Special Guests

• See how Kidz R Cookin, a traveling healthy cooking school, can plant the seeds of health in children, youth and families and get you in a "green routine."
• Listen as the Happy Gardener shares gardening tips.
• Enter for your chance to win a $100 GiveGreen American Express Gift Card from Chesterfield Towne Center. Plus, see what the mall is doing to promote sustainability and green products.
• Recycle your old cartridges with CES Cartridge Connections.
• See the latest alternative fuel vehicles from Honda.
• See how Prom Chem, Inc. promotes earth-friendly products.
• Get involved in watershed clean-up efforts with Friends of Chesterfield’s Riverfront.
• Hear about the cleanup events and efforts coordinated by the James River Advisory Council.
• Learn about watershed education with volunteers from Hands Across the Lake.
• Find out what benthic macroinvertebrates are and what they say about our water.
• See the DEQ boat and a Chesterfield County electric truck.
• Learn how the LEED building system can be applied to residential project with the James River Green Building Council.
• Plus, learn about recycling, carpooling and more when you visit with representative from:
  • The Virginia State Department of Forestry
  • The American Chestnut Foundation
  • The Virginia Farm Bureau
  • Enviroscape
  • Water Quality Windows
  • Virginia Tech Department of Forestry
  • The Gem and Mineral Society
  • RideFinders

Be sure to also check out the Celebrate our Earth Tent, the activities in the Courtyard, the educational sessions, the art and craft vendors, and the Revive Community Challenge Silent Auction.