He was displaying -- and selling -- rain barrels that he makes from recycled pickle barrels. In four hours, he sold 80.

"People are going ga-ga over them," said Danser, a stained glass artist who makes the reservoirs on the side. "There's a heck of a lot of interest."

So, too, in Raleigh. The Triangle's two largest cities had celebrations Saturday focused on the environment and resource conservation. They took place in advance of Earth Day, which is Tuesday, and followed a months-long drought that has put new focus on the region's water supply.

At the festival in downtown Raleigh presented by the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and Burt's Bees, vendors displayed underground storage tanks, water recycling systems and rain barrels. Each had a steady flow of potential customers seeking more details.

Environmental groups that participated this year said interest has increased in recent months. They attributed the trend to a growing awareness of the Triangle's water woes and the rising cost of energy.

"It's really made people wake up and realize we've got to conserve and be better citizens of the Earth," said Sharon Hazouri, vice chairwoman of the Capital Group Sierra Club. The group had about 50 people stop by its stand in the first hour.

Organizers expected more than 10,000 people to turn out during the eight-hour event, which also featured musicians and magicians.

Arts for the Earth

Over at the N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh, attendance was lighter, but the focus the same -- albeit with more artistic flair. Children dug their fingers into clay to mold animals. A group of Native Americans demonstrated traditional dances and songs.

Matt Burrows, 34, came with his wife and 2-year-old daughter. A middle school social studies teacher in Raleigh, he is passionate about the environment. He runs a blog, motherearth. blogster.com, and his nickname at work is "Earth Man."

His family moved to the area from Miami about two years ago because he wanted to see more trees standing than houses.

"I think there's a lot of good things going on here," he said -- but he wants to see more.

"It's not about being a hippie," said Burrows, who lives in Wake Forest and grows his own vegetables. "It's about being conscientious."

And reaching the next generation, said Sandy Smith-Nonini, a coordinator for Y.I.K.E.S -- Youth Involved in Keeping Earth Sustainable. The Durham group is working with high school students to promote conservation and other environmentally friendly practices.

Students involved with the group painted rain barrels at the Durham festival as part of a fundraiser.

"It's been extremely popular," said Smith-Nonini, an adjunct professor of anthropology at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The art aside, the barrels might not be bad investments.

"Probably come July or August," she said, "we'll see reservoirs fall again."