Germantown’s EcoFEST will feature hands-on environmental activities and educational resources.
Provided / Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership
Germantown will transform into a hub of art, science, and sustainability on Saturday, Aug. 16, when the Water Shed hosts its annual EcoFEST Block Party.
The event — themed “Roots & Resilience: Community, Culture, and Climate” — will run from noon to 6 p.m. along the 5300 block of Wayne Avenue, offering hands-on environmental activities, local vendors, live performances, and educational resources.
Highlights include a drop-in science lab from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the Philly Water Bar, paper shredding, electronics recycling, and the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership’s Creekmobile. Visitors can also explore art and nature activities with resident artist Kaitlyn Pomerantz, enjoy poetry readings and DJ sets, and take part in drumming, dancing, and raffles.
In this file photo, volunteers are shown during a tree planting event in Germantown.Provided / Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
City agencies and community groups will be on hand to share resources on water bill assistance, drinking water quality, and employment opportunities.
The EcoFEST Block Party also spotlights the Water Shed, a new Germantown hub providing environmental education, community resources, and creative programming tied to local water issues. Water Shed visitors can also engage in creative workshops related to flooding and contribute to a Germantown flooding archive.
The Water Shed is part of the Waterway Arts Initiative, a joint collaboration between PWD, Mural Arts Philadelphia, and the Academy of Natural Sciences.