Horses, frogs, dogs, and chicks all made an appearance at the Secaucus Summer Green Festival Aug. 20 at Mill Creek Point Park. The animal-friendly event drew hundreds of people to teach them about nature, conservation, and protecting the environment.
Mayor Michael Gonnelli dedicated the park to the children of Secaucus at the start of the festival with a special Mill Creek Point Park sign that includes Christopher Robin’s words to Winnie the Pooh, “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
“It was a steady turn out all day long,” said Mayor Gonnelli. “People came, stayed an hour or two. I think we got the message out.”
“We learned about a lot of animals and how to canoe a little better.” – Ariel Votteler
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The festival offered many activities for kids including bouncy rides, bean bag tosses, and plenty of animals.
Roger Wortman, a 16-year resident, led the canoe rides as part of Boy Scouts Troop 22. He said people could get back into nature and see the birds and wildlife throughout the area.
Visitors toured the marsh on the park pedestrian bridge, explored the creek waters by canoe, and danced to the sounds of Beth Anne Clayton along the riverfront walkway.
For relief from the sun’s heat, people enjoyed free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.
“My son is excited to see all the animals,” said Viveck Dwivedi, 33, a Secaucus resident who has been here more than a year and enjoys the fact that Secaucus is a suburb in a Metropolitan environment.
United Water handed out a water conservation guide with tips on how to save water and money. The Hudson County Improvement Authority also talked about rainwater collection.
But the big draw for kids were groups like, A Touch of Nature, that brought snakes, mice, frogs, tarantulas, and hissing cockroaches among other creepy, crawly creatures.
“Guess who eats them?” said Jerry Zelenka from A Touch of Nature, about the hissing cockroaches he held in his hand. A crowd of kids eew-ed and ahhh-ed before he pulled out a green tree frog. He joked, “Don’t keep your mouth open, folks. I don’t want you to get a frog in your throat. And don’t kiss ’em, girls. You’ll find your prince one day!”
Kids couldn’t help but gather around the Swift Farms pen to hold cute, furry chicks.
Karen Swift of Swift Farms said, “Kids have no idea that [chicks] come in different colors. There are actually many different breeds. It is a learning experience and they learn how to handle them.”
Those new to being green and those already environmentally-minded enjoyed the festival and all of its attractions. “I’m a green person,” said Maureen McDonald, Secaucus resident of 30 years. “I compost. I’m an organic gardener. I recycle [and] conserve water. I put half a gallon water bottle in my tank to save on water every time I flush. I think [the festival] is great. I only wish it was bigger.”
“It’s excellent. I love it!” said 7-year-old Olivia Votteler about the festival. Her older sister Ariel, 9, said, “We learned about a lot of animals and how to canoe a little better.”
Adriana Rambay Fernández may be reached at afernandez@hudsonreporter.com.