Chester Fair Zero Waste Project

Imagine our local Chester Fair where nearly everything that would normally end up in a landfill is instead recycled or composted. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers, community partners, and local businesses, that vision is becoming a reality.

Since launching in 2022, the Chester Fair Zero Waste Project has transformed how waste is managed at one of our community’s most cherished traditions. In just four years, the project has achieved a remarkable 75% waste diversion rate, significantly reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills. In 2026, we are setting an ambitious new goal: diverting 90% of the fair’s waste.

This project is about much more than keeping the fairgrounds clean. It is built on three important goals:

• Conserve resources by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills during the Chester Fair.
• Set a new standard for traditional county fairs by demonstrating that large community events can dramatically reduce their environmental impact.
• Educate and inspire fairgoers to rethink how they manage waste in their own homes and communities.

Achieving these goals depends on strong community partnerships.

Together, we can create a cleaner fair, inspire lasting environmental stewardship, and establish a model that traditional county fairs across the country can follow.

Here’s how you can help:

• Volunteer for one or more 3–4 hour shifts during the Chester Fair.
• Encourage students, friends, family members, or coworkers to volunteer with you.
• Make a financial contribution to support the Zero Waste Project.
• Share our mission with your family, friends, employees, customers, and community organizations.
• Follow our progress and help build a community committed to reducing waste.

However you choose to get involved—by volunteering, sponsoring the project, making a donation, or simply sharing our mission—you’ll be helping create a cleaner Chester Fair and inspiring communities far beyond our own. Together, we can show that even a small town can lead the way toward a more sustainable future.

The Chester Fair Project Fund at the Community Foundation of Middlesex County was established in 2022 to support the goal of establishing the Chester Fair as a zero-waste county fair. Organizers worked with the Community Foundation to establish the Fund to encourage the community to support this environmentally-focused project through charitable donations and grants. CFMC is honored to work with our community to raise awareness about recycling and composting and creating a healthier, greener future for all.