Have you ever taken a hayride to the top of a landfill? That鈥檚 just what festival goers did at the recent Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) Earth Day Festival in Egg Harbor Township, NJ, on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
The festival, now in its 33rd year, is the largest and longest-running Earth Day Festival in Southern New Jersey. The event attracted more than 8,000 visitors to the 365-acre ACUA Environmental Park, which is home to a sanitary landfill, recycling center, composting facility, and transfer station. Guests enjoyed environmental workshops, interactive activities, live entertainment, educational exhibits and more than 200 local vendors.
A highlight of the festival is a tour of the ACUA landfill by hayride which provides festival goers with panoramic views of the region 鈥� including Atlantic City and ACUA鈥檚 wind farm that is located at its sister wastewater treatment facility. The hayride not only provides excellent views but also gives tour-goers a greater understanding of how landfills operate, how landfill gas collection systems work, and how much waste is generated from area homes and businesses.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not often that residents get a chance to see a working landfill up close,鈥� said ACUA President Matthew DeNafo. 鈥淭he festival provides the perfect opportunity to connect with our community and provide a glimpse into the hard and dirty work solid waste workers perform on behalf of our residents each day.鈥�
Other activities included a Touch-A-Truck with ACUA vehicles, a recycled art display, bounce houses, games, interactive performances, a gem and minerals show, live music, a nature walk, a petting zoo, free workshops, and more.