Gateway Technical College has announced it will host EcoFest Racine, a new community celebration to share and celebrate sustainable practices, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 19 in the Lake Building on the college’s Racine Campus, 1001 S. Main St.

 The event, co-organized by Greening Greater Racine, will focus on providing activities and ways community members can be gentle on the environment at work and home. It features informational displays, ask the expert stations, cooking demonstrations, 20-minute informational presentations and children’s activities. Admission is free and a free gift will be presented to each family. Healthy refreshments will be provided for purchase.

Some of the events include:

• Presentations. A few of the 15 wide-ranging “green” presentations to be offered include heritage gardening, green yard care, lowering your home energy costs and carbon footprint, solar for your home and the process and art of making maple syrup.
• Children’s activities. A number of hands-on activities with be featured, such as an interactive bird display and activity area (including bird song identification); crafts using natural elements such as seeds and flowers; storytime with the Racine Public Library at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.; child-focused environmental displays and presentations such as Kids in the Kitchen.
• Display booths. More than 40 green vendors and display booths stationed in the Lake Building will give visitors the information to live more sustainably and information on practices being already done in Southeastern Wisconsin. A few include bat education, awareness and education; green cleaning products and strategies; the Racine Zoo; Respect Our Waters Campaign by Root-Pike WIN; and fresh water research efforts in the area.

For a guide to all activities for the day, please go to www.gtc.edu/ecofest. For more information, please contact Jayne Herring, (262) 496-0016.