UNION SQUARE — Union Square Park will play host to an annual environmental community fair known as New Green City this Wednesday.
The event is expected to draw nearly 150,000 people, and will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., organizers said. The purpose is to highlight eco-friendly services and practices for New York City residents to embrace.
Ted Allen, host of the Food Network show “Chopped,” will kick off the event, which will feature more than 40 interactive exhibits during the course of the day.
A scavenger hunt will invite participants to hunt for environmental information, rather than objects. Players can visit different booths and ask questions of the various experts on hand. Those who successfully collect all the answers will then be entered in a raffle.
A kids’ corner will feature child-friendly activities, such as art projects, seed ball-making and quality time with The Green Man, an environmental educator seldom seen without his praying mantis puppet.
Students and professors from The New School will offer lectures throughout the day, and several officials will participate in a “Meet your Recycler” panel discussion.
Wednesday’s event will be the third installment of New Green City, which debuted in 2009. At first, it focused mostly on the Brooklyn community and was named Green Brooklyn, Green City.
After that inaugural event, GrowNYC decided to expand to include a broader swath of New York City, organizers said.
“New Green City is hands-on and encourages New Yorkers to walk right up, talk to an expert, try something out, get their questions answered, become a volunteer or learn something,” said Marcel Van Ooyen, executive director of GrowNYC. “It's great to see that ‘aha’ moment.”
New Green City will take place in the south plaza of Union Square Park on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit the New Green City website.
