Clayton, with focus on climate, hosting Spring Fest Saturday
CLAYTON — The Clayton Climate Smart Community Task Force, in conjunction with the village, will host Spring Fest from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Wooden Park, 415 Mary St.
This free, family friendly event highlighting local climate initiatives will also offer hands-on children’s activities, educational resources and opportunities for community involvement.
A ceremonial tree planting is at 10:30 a.m., and attendees can pick up sugar maple and quaking aspen seedlings and also take part in a seedling swap where visitors are encouraged to bring small fruit, vegetable or flower seedlings to exchange with others.
The event will feature local and regional vendors and organizations. For example, the village of Clayton CSC Taskforce will offer planting activities and the town of Clayton will present information about its newly registered compost site. There will be children’s activities with the Thousand Islands Land Trust, Jefferson County Public Health Service, Thousand Islands Arts Center, Antique Boat Museum, Minna Anthony Common Nature Center and Student Advocates For the Environment (SAFE) Club from Thousand Islands High School.
Save the River will have a small battery drop off at their booth and there will be an opportunity to drop off and recycle used books at the Hawn Memorial Library table. There will also be information tables from Jefferson County Soil and Water, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, Cornell Waste Management Institute, Clayton Area Pre-School, as well as vendors providing climate smart information including Cross Island Farms, Whites Lumber and Building Supply, GYMO engineering and architectural firm, 4th Coast, Inc, and more.
Hunners Market will be sponsoring a clothing swap table, where people can bring slightly used clothes to swap.
The Climate Smart Communities program was created by New York State to encourage municipalities to adopt more climate-friendly policies and practices. The village of Clayton formed its own CSC Taskforce in 2024 to help drive local action. Already, the village has benefited from the program, having been awarded a grant to install high-efficiency mini-splits for heating and cooling in several municipal buildings. Most recently, the Taskforce submitted its application for Bronze certification with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Clayton Climate Smart Community Task Force also shares climate smart information on the village’s website including “101 Ways to Be Climate Smart Around the Home,” and minutes to the monthly meetings. Spring Fest is a celebration of sustainability and community, and a chance for residents to learn more about how they can take part in local climate action. For more information or to get involved, contact CSC Coordinator Mike Kinnie at trusteekinnie@villageofclayton.org.