Earth Festival to focus on fun, environment

CHERRY HILL Haiku, planting, and entertainment are just some of the offerings at the fifth annual Art Blooms in Cherry Hill Earth Festival on April 26.

A family-friendly event at Croft Farm, the festival will feature more than 90 displays, vendors, and activities that will include student and professional music, healthy food, children's activities, seed planting, and poet-led haiku writing.

There will be two- and nine-mile bicycle rides, with registration at 8 a.m. and the rides starting at 9. Helmets are required.

Among the ecology-friendly activities will be recycling of electronics, shoes, sneakers, plastic bags, hangers and batteries; plant exchange and free compost pickup; crafts and other items made recycled goods for sale; and information-sharing on ways to conserve energy.

Participants can bring food to donate to a food pantry. The Phillie Phanatic will make an appearance at about 1 p.m.

Admission is free. The rain-or-shine event is put on by the township and Sustainable Cherry Hill. It marks the beginning of the annual Art Blooms in Cherry Hill, a juried art exhibit that runs through May 10 at the Cherry Hill Arts Center at the farm.

Croft Farm is at 100 Bortons Mill Rd.

For more information, contact Brenda Jorett at Brenda@brendajorett.com or visit www.sustainablecherryhill.org. - Rita Giordano