Attention green thumbs, brew heads and anyone with a nose for a bargain. A family-friendly festival promoting sustainability and conservation is headed back to town this month and you won’t want to miss it.

West Laurel Hill Cemetery will host the fifth annual “It’s a Green Thing Sustainability Fair” Saturday, June 15 from 1-5 p.m. The event once again takes place just inside the cemetery’s gates, located at 225 Belmont Ave, Bala Cynwyd, at the Barmouth Station section of the Cynwyd trail.

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This rain-or-shine, outdoor festival benefits the Lower Merion Conservancy. The event is free and open to the public, though donations are encouraged. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are also welcome to attend. To RSVP, visit http://lmconservancy.org/event/sustainability-fair/.

Attendees are encouraged to walk or ride their bikes to the fair, as it is accessible via the Cynwyd Trail at the Barmouth Station Trailhead and there are places to lock bikes there. Additionally, parking is located on the cemetery grounds.

Come support local artisans and businesses, who are committed to making the world a greener place. There will be food trucks, live music and a chance to tour Nature’s Sanctuary and meet the West Laurel Hill goats.

Local Vendors

Over 20 local makers and green businesses will have vendor booths set up to sell their sustainable goods and services. This event will also feature a handful of community group tables, for such organizations as the Lower Merion Conservancy and Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail. A full list of confirmed vendors is on the event’s Facebook page.

Meet the Goats

West Laurel Hill will once again have its grazing goats from Philly Goat Project on display from 1 to 3 p.m. For the first time this year, event participants will be able to pet the goats. West Laurel Hill will also have tours of its Nature Sanctuary, which is its award-winning, sustainable burial ground.

Beer Garden and Food Trucks

World Cafe Live is set to return to host a beer garden at this year’s event and will serve locally-brewed, sustainable beers. Food trucks will also be on hand for the day, including Rock N Rolls spring rolls and Wahlburgers burgers.

Live Music and Entertainment

The fair will feature live bands performing family-friendly music all afternoon. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to relax and enjoy the music on the lawn. In addition, the Plastic Bag Monster will make an appearance for photos and a discussion about sustainability for children and their parents.

“Our annual sustainability fair is a perfect opportunity for local, green-conscious businesses to promote their products and for event participants to see the vast array of sustainable options available on the market that have a positive impact on the environment,” said Amy Chapkovich, program and communications coordinator, Lower Merion Conservancy. “We’re thankful for West Laurel Hill Cemetery for once again hosting this wonderful event and encourage everyone to stop by for a great afternoon.”

“We started the sustainability fair five years ago to help showcase those organizations and individuals who are striving to make the world a greener place, and to increase visibility of our own sustainable initiatives,” said Nancy Goldenberg, President and CEO of West Laurel Hill Cemetery and Funeral Home. “We take a holistic approach to sustainability and are very intentional in our efforts.

“As a result, our entire staff has made enormous progress in achieving our sustainability goals, which are focused in the areas of land conservation, energy and waste management, and employee wellness and engagement. We are most proud to be the only cemetery in the world to be SITES Gold Certified for our green burial area. We are looking forward to a greener future, not only within our gates but also throughout the many communities we serve.”

For more information about the It’s a Green Thing Sustainability Fair, visit the event’s page on the Lower Merion Conservancy website at http://lmconservancy.org/event/sustainability-fair/

About The Lower Merion Conservancy

The Lower Merion Conservancy protects and enhances our community’s character and quality of life, recognizing that the sustainable management of our environmental and historic resources is inextricably intertwined with both conservation and change. The Conservancy advocates for policies, programs, and projects that support its vision for the community and builds an informed constituency that can actively support this vision.

About West Laurel Hill Cemetery

Incorporated in 1869, Historic West Laurel Hill Cemetery is a privately-owned, non-profit, non-denominational cemetery, a 187-acre arboretum and an outdoor sculpture garden rich in cultural and social history. They offer one location for all your funeral and cemetery needs including monuments/engraving, an onsite crematory, chapels, reception areas and Jewish and green burial and funeral services. West Laurel Hill Funeral Home is located on the grounds of the Cemetery, 225 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA.

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