MiSustainable Holland: Macatawa Water Festival offers fun and information
HOLLAND — The upcoming Macatawa Water Festival is a chance for fun activities, to learn more about our watershed, and to celebrate the natural spaces around us.
Hosted by the ODC Network, the festival will run 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, on Windmill Island. The event is free to attend and is a benefit for Project Clarity and the Macatawa Watershed.
Over 20 community partners and sponsors will come together to offer water activities and educational experiences designed to engage all ages. Top sponsors include Boar’s Head, Lakewood Construction and Tommy’s Express Car Wash.
At the festival, people will have the opportunity to kayak and bike around the island while exploring and learning about the great outdoors. Other activities include assembling a rain barrel, learning about native and invasive plants, performing water quality experiments, and learning about water filtration and pollutants. Come prepared to have a day of fun in the sun with a diversity of outdoor activities.
ODC will host a Rainscaping and Rain Barrel Workshop at the Windmill Island Pavilion at 10 a.m. The workshop will focus on how to use rainscaping practices, like rain barrels, to decrease stormwater runoff on your property. Participants can attend the workshop with a registration fee and, for an additional fee, assemble and take home a rain barrel of their own.
Registration is required at outdoordiscovery.org/macatawa-water-festival. There aren't a limited number of spaces for participants, but there will be a limited number of barrels available for purchase.
Barrels were supplied by Boar’s Head and Saugatuck Brewing Company.
ODC Network will also provide single and double kayaks for participants to use along the canal surrounding Windmill Island. For another perspective of the island, Velo Kids will provide bikes and helmets to teach biking skills and trail stewardship. Ottawa County Parks and Recreation will host nature hikes with a naturalist.
The Allegan Conservation District will conduct nitrate testing for participants who bring water samples, and a water cycle watercolor craft. CultureWorks will teach participants to repurpose styrofoam packaging into print materials of native bird species. The Ottawa Conservation District will have an aquifer model to demonstrate groundwater quality and quantity, as well as a game to find invasive hitchhikers on a kayak.
The West Michigan Walleye Club will demonstrate how to tie a harness rig and will have tools for participants to make their own harness rig. Holland Museum will teach visitors to build a tool to help filter trash out of water using recyclable materials. 20 Liters will have an activity using jerrycans to collect water from the canal to meet daily water needs.
The Ottawa County Department of Strategic Impact will host a groundwater trivia activity, during which participants can win swag for correct answers.
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If you plan to attend, be prepared for all types of weather and elements. Sunscreen and snacks are highly recommended to stay safe while having fun. Water will be provided by Aquafine, but we encourage participants to bring a water bottle. Froyo will be available for purchase from ODC Network’s Froyo Trailer.
— Maya Klanderman is a sustainability intern with the ODC Network.
About This Series:MiSustainable Holland is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives.This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme: Community Knowledge: The collective knowledge and energy of the community is an incredible resource that must be channeled to where it is needed.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: MiSustainable Holland: Macatawa Water Festival offers fun and information
