Inaugural Town Fair to accompany Green Up Day

Williston town planners are trying something new for Green Up Day 2022.

With spring in the air and Covid restrictions becoming more relaxed, planning staff aim to bring the community together this Green Up Day with a new town fair.  

The fair is scheduled to coincide with this year’s green-up efforts on Saturday, May 7. 

Starting at 10 a.m. on the Village Green, the town fair will feature free refreshments and giveaways, tours of the old schoolhouse provided by the Williston Historical Society, sign-ups for free smoke alarm installations through the American Red Cross, and opportunities to meet staff from the town management office, Planning Commission, Recreation Department and Energy Committee.

The fair will also feature story time with the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library at 10:30 a.m. and a meet & greet with Rep. Erin Brady at 11 a.m. 

“It’s the first time we’re trying something like this, so it’s a pilot event,” said town planner Emily Heymann. 

“It’s (also) an opportunity for people to engage with municipal staff and some (members) on the boards of volunteer committees, outside of the boring 9-to-5 office hours and night meetings,” she said. 

And of course, green-up bags and coffee will be available on the Village Green, starting at 8 a.m. 

Bags are already available for pickup in the Town Hall Annex from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until this Friday. Bags will then become available for 24/7 pickup at a self-service station outside of the Town Hall Annex until May 6. 

Like last year, residents are encouraged to claim an area to green up on an online map on the town website (www.town.williston.vt.us) and at www.bit.ly/WillistonGreenUpDay. But they can also do it in person when they pick up their bags. 

Heymann recommends that the map be accessed on a laptop or personal computer, and those who aren’t as comfortable with technology can call the town planning office at (802) 878-6704 to have town staff mark the map for them. 

Heymann was also happy to report that an overall trend of increasing Green Up Day participation caused the town to request a record number of bags this year.  

“In years past we’ve run out of bags, so we’ve really increased the number we have available to about 700 bags,” she said.

Heymann hopes that the fair will further boost participation. 

“The goal of the town fair is to get people excited about Green Up Day and for the people who volunteer to [get] some thank you items in terms of snacks and library storytime,” she said.

The 2022 Green-Up Vermont poster was created by Marina Hallisey, grade 7 of Shelburne.

Original story can be found at the Williston Observer.