KINGSTON, N.Y. — Light rain didn’t stop the city’s Earth Fair festivities from taking place Saturday afternoon.
Urging locals to recycle, learn about the world around them, and to take care of the environment, the fair saw crowds gather at three different locations around the city. Now in its 12th year, the fair is hosted by the city and the Climate Smart Kingston Commission, partnering with the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, the Hudson River Maritime Museum, and Radio Kingston.
Usually held at T. R. Gallo Park on the Rondout waterfront, some activities and events were moved indoors due to the inclement weather. Remaining on the waterfront were the recycling programs, as the city offered free collection of electronic waste and refrigerants (items like old refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, or air conditioners). Paper shredding and recycling stations were also set up outside.
Indoors, Earth Fair visitors had three different venues to choose from. Music performances were split between the Hudson River Maritime Museum Barn and the new TEMPO Performing Arts Center on Wurts Street.
At the barn, the scheduled lineup included Alessandra Gonzalez, Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower, Amber Rubarth, David Amram, and Sara Milonovich.
Over at TEMPO, festivities began with a Native American water ceremony, followed by a performance by Kingston’s own LGBTQ+ chorus, Key of Q. Scheduled for later in the day were the Pablo Shine Latin Jazz Band, The Restless Age, Resisterhood, the Kofi and Sankofa Drum and Dance Ensemble, and Madeleine Peyroux.
A bulk of the Earth Fair activities took place in Midtown at the Andy Murphy Midtown Neighborhood Center, which hosted dozens of vendors and tables from local groups and organizations. Performances were held in the space, too, with Arm-of-the-Sea Theater taking the stage in the early afternoon. The Mid-Hudson Juggling Club was also slated to perform.
Food trucks were set up outside, as well as a children’s activity area.
Despite the weather, event organizers remained positive.
“This is our third year we’re doing Earth Fair with Kingston,” said David Toman, executive director of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, who emceed with Radio Kingston’s Jimmy Buff over at TEMPO. “Clearwater is very excited to partner with the city, with the cause of the Earth Fair and gathering the Kingston community.”
Toman told the crowd at TEMPO that he was excited about the music performances slated for the day.
“Clearwater has helped coordinate the music and performers and artists that we’ll see here as well as at the barn,” he said. “I don’t want to chase anybody away from great music at either venue, but both are going to be wonderful.”
For more information about this year’s Earth Fair, visit kingston-ny.gov/earthfair.