This year’s TroyFest has one common theme — going green.

From recycling to making a difference in the environment, the focus will be implemented throughout the weekend event.

TroyFest Arts and Education Committee Chairman Janet Motes said last year’s art education outreach gave the committee the “go green” idea to run with for this year’s event.

“Last year in our arts education outreach, we thought we would do an arts program using recycled products. Kids got to paint on the back of tar paper, something used in roofing,” Motes said. “The recycled arts program was a big hit, so that’s where we came up with the idea to go green for the TroyFest this year.”

With recycling being a big part of the event, there will be 20 recycle bins placed strategically throughout the festival.

“In order to make this a green festival, we wanted to make it very easy for people to recycle. We will have 20 recycle bins strategically placed throughout the festival,” Motes said. “We will recycle both cans and plastic, and we will have people at each bin to make sure there is no cross contamination.”

Following last year’s trend, the arts outreach program will focus on going green this year, too.

“We are bringing down a group called ‘The Scrap Exchange,’ from North Carolina,” Motes said. “They are a traveling creative arts service that uses only recycled materials. They bring down a van filled with recycled products and with those products people make art projects. There is no limit to the things you an make.”

The Scrap Exchange Outreach Coordinator Rowan Martell said the program allows for unlimited creativity.

“This is a great program. We bring reclaimed scrap items from factories, clean industrial discards, and participants are invited to make anything they can think of out of the materials,” Martell said. “There is never just one type of project that person can create. This is a wonderful opportunity for unlimited creativity. I’ve seen people make rocket ships, robots, costumes and crowns.”

Some local school children will have the opportunity to make recycled art projects at school when The Scrap Exchange comes to Troy Friday, April 24.

“The Scrap Exchange is coming down the Friday before the festival to do art projects with Troy Elementary School and Pike Liberal Arts,” Motes said. “The group will show the children fun art projects they can make, and they will teach them about recycling.”

The Scrap Exchange will be at TroyFest Saturday, April 25. Families are invited to make art projects and learn about recycling.

“This is really going to be a great festival. A lot has been done to make this year’s TroyFest wonderful,” Motes said. “We ask that people make a conscious effort not to throw plastic and cans into the garbage and throw them into the recycling bin instead. Anything we can do to help our environment is a good thing.”