Earthplace came alive as several hundred people enjoyed learning about our wild neighbors.  The event began with the debut of the initial installation of the Connecticut Wall of Nature tile mural, which will depict animals and plants found in CT.  Vinny Kovalik of Party Animalz introduced visitors to a lizard, python, tortoise, chinchilla, tarantula, and giant rabbit.  Waking Dream Performance Company led many children and adults in a giant puppet parade inside our building.  Many of the children had made their own fish, bird and animal costumes to march in.

Local author Laurie Krebs read from her book, The Beeman, and explained how beekeepers collect honey.  The Back Yard Beekeepers Association also brought some real bees and honey products. The Norwalk River Watershed Association showed how chemicals and pollutants in our towns can get into the streams, rivers and Long Island Sound.  The Westport Weston Health District displayed information about techniques to control ticks in your yard.  The Westport Public Library brought animal books to borrow.

Children and adults learned about Connecticut's mammals and birds, and got to touch some live sea creatures, including sea stars and a sea cucumber.  Children also created a buzzing bee and a turtle in the Nursery School classrooms.