5th Annual Collingswood Green Festival Saturday

Spring has sprung, and with it, the annual borough celebration of all things verdant, hopeful and just plain crunchy-granola good.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, the fifth Collingswood Green Festival will take over Irvin Avenue (note to farmers market regulars: it's the same, sub-Speedline location) and the stretch of parking lot that runs from the back of the police station to Collings Ave.

Vendors will retail eco-friendly products and tips for creating a more sustainable household, from cloth diapering to locavore dining. Various food share and community supported agriculture (CSA) organizations will be on hand to discuss alternative food purchasing arrangements.

The Camden County Hazardous Waste Collection event will also take place at the borough Department of Public Works will aid in spring cleaning efforts. (Electronics are collected year-round in the Bike Share parking lot next to the Community Center.) 

Recycling efforts are part of the day too, so bring your:

• Paired shoes that are still usable
• Ink cartridges
• Natural wood corks
• Vegetable waste oil (to made into bio-fuel)

Rain barrels, composters and shade trees will all be available for sale, and a kids' zone will have plenty of activities for children.

The Collingswood Bike Share program will also offer free bike tune-ups from its volunteer mechanics and a refresher course on bicycle safety.

Said Bike Share Coordinator Joe Bonaparte, events like the Green Festival, Farmers Market or Second Saturday all happen in Collingswood because the residents of the town make them happen.

"This can happen anywhere people realize the creative power they have inside," Bonaparte said; "where they realize they have kindred spirits around that want to live in a better world and are willing to take some risks, and get their hands a little dirty."