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WILKES-BARRE — Three year-old Eli Pearson looked into the holes of the fence intently, holding his hand out as an alpaca named Heidi quickly stuck her mouth out and licked the feed from his hands. When the cup of food was empty, he ran back for another, this time choosing to give it to a sheep named Snow.

Eli was one of many children admiring the creatures from the Endless Dreams Animal Refuge at RiverFest Saturday, which was just one of many attractions and exhibits on display featuring the environment and wildlife.

The Benton-based refuge gives “forever homes” to exotic and farm animals who can no longer be cared for by their owners, offering the public a chance to get up-close and personal with the animals while providing education on them, said program head Jessica Exley.

“We came for some family fun, some family enjoyment together,” Eli’s grandmother, Michele Witt, said as he ran over to see an endangered Dumeril’s boa that was being held by refuge volunteer Patty Matthews. “He loves the animals.”

The event, now in its 22nd year, originally started with a “couple of card tables and some information about the environment” and has turned into a multi-day festival featuring a variety of vendors, activities, educational stands, live music, animals and more, said Riverfront Parks Committee executive director John Maday.

Looking around Nesbitt Park, Maday said that while the overall theme of RiverFest has remained the same, it’s come a long way from promoting natural trails and keeping the environment trash-free.

“It was one of those organic groups that just continued to grow and grow and grow, and the volunteers stayed committed to it,” he said. “That’s the only reason we are where we are today. As it grew, the core volunteer groups stayed together, and we started to attract more and more people attending and we also started to attract more supporters.”

A larger festival

Maday said attendees of this year’s RiverFest may notice a larger layout, including new organizations such as Endless Dreams Animal Refuge and Shickshinny-based Native American teaching village Five Mountain Bear Clan, among Revolutionary War reenactors and more.

He brought the groups in to fit into the historical aspect of the Susquehanna River and educate visitors about how the Wyoming Valley came to be a civilization, feeding off the river’s rich natural supplies. Native Americans and early settlers of the land depended on rivers for travel, commerce, food and water, making the Wyoming Valley the perfect place to settle and start a community with the Susquehanna flowing through it.

“Their basic needs were met by the river,” he said.

Ironically, he also said that while the river supported the valley, there are also times where the mighty Susquehanna became its foe — particularly through the flood that followed Hurricane Agnes in 1972, which is nearing its 45th anniversary this week.

As families walked through the large educational tent, children stopped by a series of stands that included fun, nature-themed activities. One of those was the new Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward, where children were able to see just where rainwater goes by squeezing a series of wet sponges onto various surfaces. The program, which was created last year in order to educate and provide training to community leaders about watershed and the environment that they can then pass on to residents.

Program coordinator and educator Elizabeth Rosser explained to youngsters where the water travels depending on what surface it was hitting, varying from grass to gravel and pavement. As the children squeezed their sponges, Rosser had them guess where the water would go once it hit the surface beneath it, which included cupcake tins with different objects and textures.

“We’re just trying to get out there,” she said of the newly developed program. “We want to show other ways where you can get water into the ground and clean it up without getting rid of all roadways and macadam driveways. We want our water to go back into the ground so it can be clean instead of running off.”

Water was a strong message throughout the day, not only from the event’s namesake, but from all varieties of water — including the stuff you drink.

Making one of its first public appearances was the new mobile water unit from Pennsylvania American Water. A white van complete with water droplet designs and a video screen, the side of the vehicle opened up to display three taps full of cold tapwater along with some cardboard cups. The water was free to the public to utilize throughout the day as a way to keep hydrated in the suns heat, and to promote keeping their bodies — and the environment — healthy by drinking tap water.

“On a nice day like this, we get to be out and people want to stay hydrated, so we brought the water here so there’s no bottled water,” said Pennsylvania American Water external affairs manager Susan Turcmanovich. “It’s less impact on the environment and its fresh from your tap.”

Creativity abounds

On the other side of the tent, Jan Lotuda sat hunched over, dipping his brush into a can of brown paint. Lotuda was busy outlining part of the 2017 RiverFest mural, which depicts a landscape view of the Fort Jenkins and Water Street bridges. The blue skies and yellow landmarks were all painted by children, he said, noting this is the 10th mural that has been created.

“It’s meant to convey the recovery of the Susquehanna since hurricane Agnes in 1972,” he said of the image’s meaning. “This is really about the recovery of the Susquehanna.”

Active in the parks committee and RiverFest since the early-2000s, Lotuda said he wanted to find a way to integrate common household products into something special children can see and use. All of the paints, brushes and even the mural come from everyday household materials instead of speciality artist’s items.

After RiverFest, the mural will be stored until ChalkFest, where he will once again bring it out for children to paint before adding the finishing touches. Past murals are on exhibit at Barnes & Noble, and act as a reminder of the Susquehanna and the environment, he said.

Watching the “Birds of Prey” demonstration, Plains Township resident Dave Tressa said that the event is something he looks forward to all year long. RiverFest is what introduced him to utilizing the Susquehanna River, turning Tressa into an avid fisherman, boater and more.

“I love the river. It’s in my backyard, and I would do anything to promote it,” he said. “I think it gets better every year, and the weather’s perfect”

RiverFest continues through Sunday.

Hannah Wolfe, of Dallas, feeds Heidi, an alpaca, from Endless Dreams Animal Retreat in Benton at Wyoming Valley RiverFest.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL062517Riverfest_3.jpg.optimal.jpgHannah Wolfe, of Dallas, feeds Heidi, an alpaca, from Endless Dreams Animal Retreat in Benton at Wyoming Valley RiverFest. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Tom Granoski, of Hunlock Creek, kayaks along the Susquehanna River to the Nesbitt Park boat launch during RiverFest.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL062517Riverfest_4.jpg.optimal.jpgTom Granoski, of Hunlock Creek, kayaks along the Susquehanna River to the Nesbitt Park boat launch during RiverFest. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Second Chance Wildlife Center biologists Shane Kleiner and Angie Colarusso show an opossum during a presentation on Pennsylvania mammals at RiverFest 2017.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL062517Riverfest_2.jpg.optimal.jpgSecond Chance Wildlife Center biologists Shane Kleiner and Angie Colarusso show an opossum during a presentation on Pennsylvania mammals at RiverFest 2017. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Sue and Jim Stefanovich, of Wilkes-Barre, make their way from Harding to the Nesbitt Park boat launch in Wilkes-Barre during Wyoming Valley RiverFest on Saturday afternoon.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL062517Riverfest_1.jpg.optimal.jpgSue and Jim Stefanovich, of Wilkes-Barre, make their way from Harding to the Nesbitt Park boat launch in Wilkes-Barre during Wyoming Valley RiverFest on Saturday afternoon. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

By Marcella Kester

For Times Leader

Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.