BRICK TOWNSHIP — The annual Brick Township Green Fair is set to return on May 21 at Bob Anstett Cultural Arts Center, 515 Herbertsville Road. The free event, which is rain or shine, is being held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature a number of presentations and exhibits about environmentalism and sustainability.
“The Brick Township Green Fair is a community-wide celebration designed to educate and encourage people of all ages, backgrounds and incomes to adopt a more environmentally and socially responsible lifestyle,” Brick’s website reads. “The Green Fair will feature exhibits, information and demonstrations regarding conservation and sustainability as well as various vendors.”
According to the borough officials, the Green Fair will feature a number of giveaways including reusable bags, environmentally friendly straws, ‘green’ water bottles and bamboo utensils.
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Additionally, around six different schools from around Brick will attend the event, along with nearly 50 vendors, some being local businesses.
Keith Rella, former president of Brick’s Environmental Commission, has been organizing the event for almost 10 years, and is very excited for the Green Fair to return after its COVID hiatus.
“Our last Green Fair was April of 2019, and for several years leading up to that we had partnered with the school district and hosted the event at Brick Township Highschool,” Mr. Rella said. “This year, still given all the public health considerations that are out there, we obviously wanted to start the program back up again, but we wanted to take some measures to consider those issues, so we moved it outdoors.”
A new feature of this year’s Green Fair is brought by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection [NJDEP] and Plug In America, an advocacy group for the use of electric vehicles. Participants to this year’s Green Fair will have the opportunity to do a “ride and drive”, or a test-drive of an electric vehicle.
“We’re lucky to be partnering with the NJDEP… People who come to the Green Fair will be able to learn about electric vehicles… and if they get on the list… they might get the opportunity to drive an electric vehicle,” Mr. Rella told The Ocean Star. “And we’re hoping to have a couple different models available.”
Mr. Rella added that the “ride and drive” system will essentially be first come, first serve. However, organizers said it may be possible for interested participants to get another opportunity to drive an electric car in the future through Plug in America and the car dealers.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to put together here,” Mr. Rella said. “And I’m hoping with a couple tweaks this year, that it could… keep us in the direction of growing it and making it better year after year.
“The key to this event, like anything else, is the support of the mayor and council, and the administrative offices here, they have always been exceptional,” he added. “I need to especially thank the tourist commission because they help us put this event on without really incurring any costs… The support from the governing body is key to us being able to grow and continue this amazing event.”
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