It should be busy in Watkinsville on Saturday.
The Oconee Farmers Market launches its 16th season at 8 a.m. Saturday in front of the Courthouse on Main Street in Watkinsville.
The Watkinsville Trade and Tourism Association is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rocket Field, 200 Second Street.
The city of Watkinsville is coordinating an Enviro Fest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Harris Shoals Park on Experiment Station Road.
And the Oconee Welcome Center is holding an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to show off the renovation of the facility located at 21 North Main Street next door to the Courthouse.
Harris Shoals Park also will be the site for an Earth Day event from 1 to 3 p.m. on April 20 being organized by the Oconee County Democratic Party. The event is nonpartisan.
Farmers Market
Allison Barnes, market manager, said she is expecting between 15 and 20 vendors for the opening of the Farmers Market.
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| Site Of Farmers Market |
Barnes said visitors to the market will be able to purchase early produce, beef, goats milk soap, gelato, pasta, crafts, granola, baked goods, dog treats and bread.
Athens Canine Rescue will also be there with adoptable dogs so they can meet potential adopters, Barnes said.
Caleb Moore, a student at Oconee County High School who sings and accompanies himself on the piano, will perform from 10 a.m. to noon.
The market itself is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Egg Hunt
The Watkinsville Trade and Tourism Association will hide more than 6,000 eggs for children in Rocket Field.
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| Site Of Egg Hunt |
Let It Be Yoga Studio will have yoga on the Eagle Tavern lawn, across from the Courthouse.
Watkinsville First United Methodist Church will offer crafts for children at 10 a.m., and recording studio School of Rock will have a children’s group playing music.
Food trucks will be on the site.
Events will move indoors into the OCAF facility in the case of rain.
Easter Bunny is scheduled to appear at Rocket Field and make its way to Enviro Fest.
Enviro Fest
Visitors to Harris Shoals Park will have a chance to learn about the park’s history and its trees and plants.
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| Site Of Enviro Fest |
Visitors also will be able to participate in stream water testing and in park and stream cleanup.
The Oconee Lions Club will be selling BBQ plates to go.
Other involved groups are the Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission, the Oconee Historical Society, the Watkinsville Garden Club, the Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis at the University of North Georgia, and the Upper Oconee Watershed Network.
The Oconee County Water Resources Department and the Georgia Forestry Commission, as well as the city of Watkinsville, are organizers.
Welcome Center
The Oconee Welcome Center, located just next door to the Courthouse, has gotten a renovation that includes a change of display space and repainting.
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| Welcome Center |
The new space will feature local products and information focused on local tourism opportunities.
During the open house on Saturday, the Center will be offering refreshments and providing giveaways.
The Center is operated by the Oconee County Tourism Department.
Earth Day Event
The Earth Day event on April 20 will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. in and around the large covered pavilion at Harris Shoals Park.
Attendees can meet a possum rehabilitator, learn how to avoid chiggers, plant seeds, help Monarch butterflies, distinguish good bugs from bad ones, and cook with energy-efficient Instant Pots or solar cookers.
About 20 groups, such as Georgia Forest Watch, the Natural History Museum, Sandy Creek Nature Center, and the Upper Oconee Watershed Network, and scientists from different disciplines will be set up activities and displays and offer practical information about how people can make a difference.
The public is invited to stop in to learn about things such as the case for global climate change, what not to recycle, tips for helping birds, why you should pick up after your dog, and how to compost and control mosquitoes.
A local doctor will talk about the benefits of plant-based eating for health and for the environment.
Recycling Opportunity
A skilled face painter will be on hand at the April 20 event.
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| Site Of Earth Day Event |
Kids can engage in scientific and artistic activities or splash in the shoals.
Attendees can vote for which of the participating groups or individuals will win financial contributions to their work. The Oconee Democrats will give $100 to the top-two vote-getters and $50 to the third and fourth-place audience favorites.
The public can also drop off electronics and car batteries for recycling at a site stationed across the street in the parking lot of the Oconee County Sheriff’s office.
Materials accepted include: flat-screen TVs, fax machines, printers, keyboards, and towers.
Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22 worldwide.
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