FeedsSeason ‘Greenings’
Inaugural Green Street Fair a success
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About 130 environmentally conscious exhibitors vendors and companies were brought to Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth to educate the community about eco-friendly products and services during the Green Street Fair. Photos by Molly TippenAdd the Green Street Fair to the list of spring and summertime traditions in Plymouth.
Thousands of people traveled to Kellogg Park last weekend to learn about the benefits of green, organic, and eco-friendly products and services during the inaugural environmental extravaganza. Event organizers said its one of the few festivals of this kind in Michigan and throughout the rest of the country.
“(The Green Street Fair) was better than we expected,” said Mandi Buckland one of the four organizers of the event, who admitted to crying with joy at the conclusion of the fair.
Buckland, who along with Teri O’Brien, Raychel Rork and Dianne Quinn brought the inaugural environmental event to Plymouth, said they had worked for more than a year to bring large and small companies, vendors, environment and ecology experts, elected officials, artists and entertainers together in a festival environment to promote small and practical changes that local families and business owners can make to save natural resources and money.
While the women brought together years of event planning and festival creation experience to the event, Buckland said no one could have predicted the outcome—or the raindrops.
“A first year event is always a gamble. Fortunately people came out despite the rain and got the message,” said Buckland. “The attendance was amazing.”
Donna Napoliano, a representative of Mechanical Energy Systems, a company located in Canton Township that converts offices and homes to use solar power for heating, said the timing for the event was perfect as everyone is focused on the rising costs of gas and heating fuels.
“People came out because they’re interested in saving money and very interested in learning what their options are,” said Napoliano, who gave a presentation entitled “Be GREEN, Save GREEN” to a packed house inside the Penn Theater last Sunday.
“We’ve been doing alternative energy for 23 years, now people are starting to listen.”
The scores of green businesses who set-up displays in downtown Plymouth were not the only ones to benefit, according to Plymouth City Manager Paul Sincock.
“Several merchants have told us they noticed increased sales last weekend,” said Sincock “The event was fabulous and the crowds were excellent for a first year event.”
Buckland said the Green Fair would report the official number of attendees in a wrap-up statement within the next week. She said the fair organizers would gather soon again to plan for next year’s event, albeit with a minor change.
“We may move it back a few weeks,” said Buckland who said she wants to make sure next year the event is scheduled when the weather is typically warm and bright.
No matter if the weather is sunny and dry or dreary and damp, Buckland said the event would be as much if not more fun the second time around.
“We’re absolutely bringing (the event) back.”
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