First come, first served: Segerstrom Center to host free Earth Day Fix It Fair

Segerstrom Center for the Arts invites the public to come by next week and get some things fixed.

If you have torn clothes, jeans that need patching, broken jewelry, busted lamps, wilted plants — or any other items that need fixing — head over to SCFTA’s Julianne and George Argyros Plaza in Costa Mesa for some free repair help at the Earth Day Fix It Fair.

“Our fixers will try to fix anything, except electronics and relationships,” quipped Priscilla Reyes, SCFTA’s community engagement coordinator.

The Earth Day Fix It Fair, taking place on Saturday, April 19 starting at 1 p.m., is a partnership between Segerstrom Center and Eco Now, a zero-waste concept retailer with locations in Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Anaheim and Garden Grove. The fair’s services are free, and first come, first served.

“We have been active in our local, O.C. community for many years,” said Thea Pauley, owner of Eco Now. “Eco Now’s mission is to encourage people to live more sustainably. Our stores create a great place to consume responsibly and our events are an added bonus. We regularly host clothing swaps, compost classes and eco-friendly marketplace events. A Fix It Fair makes sense to include in our services by helping people think in terms of reuse and repair instead of buying new.”

Though this is the first Fix It Fair at Segerstrom Center, Eco Now has held two others at Arvida Book Co. in Tustin.

“The center is committed to building community and spreading goodwill by partnering with local Orange County businesses to put on inclusive events,” Reyes said. “We are so excited to partner with Eco Now for our first-ever Earth Day Fix It Fair to promote sustainability and zero-waste living.”

Reyes said six local fixers will offer their services at the event — including seamstress Emily Wallace, eco-sewist and co-founder of Eco Now Upcycled, and seamstress Mary Colmar, upcycle designer and DIY decor maker at Salad Bowl Dress.

People are invited to bring salvageable items such as this clay pot to the Fix It Fair, where volunteers with a talent for repairing items will be offering their work at no charge.

(Courtesy of Eco Now)

There’s also jewelry fixer Jackie Barrera from Made with Love by Jax and plant expert Matthew Payawal, owner of Plant Matter Shop at the LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa. General fixer Jason Mount from Urban Workshop in Costa Mesa is a woodworker who enjoys fixing and making things. Bike repairer Paul Nagel, project manager at nonprofit community bike center the Bicycle Tree, will also offer services.

“I think it’s important to recognize that the things we discard every day are still on this planet with us, they don’t just disappear after the garbage truck comes. They may be out of sight and out of mind, but it’s still taking up space somewhere else and at overwhelming amounts,” Reyes said. “Extending the life of our belongings and taking better care of them can help us save us money in the long run, decrease overproduction and help us learn practical skills that benefit our ability to self-sustain. We all know the phrase ‘reduce, reuse, recycle,’ but it’s about time we add and normalize ‘repair’ to that sentiment.”

Other free activities include a community bike ride to the Fix It Fair, organized by Santa Ana Active Streets. A reservation is required and space is limited. Eco Now is hosting a compost workshop from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., when the public can learn composting basics. Attendees can bring their own bucket or container to convert into a compost kit.

Eco Now is also offering a refill station stocked with hand and body soaps, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and laundry concentrate. Guests can bring their own refillable or recycled container to fill with 4 ounces of product of their choice. Reyes said glass containers will be available for those who don’t bring their own.

DIY Craft Club is hosting a workshop with all the materials needed to start a junk journal. Reyes said guests can participate in a scrap swap by bringing any unwanted crafts materials for communal junk journaling — think old music sheets, magazines, stickers, etc. Attendees can also bring their favorite materials and memorabilia for their own use. The first 50 people to arrive get a free composition book.

Costa Mesa-based Liquid 4 Life will have juice samples and there will also be eco-friendly children’s crafts.

“We live in a culture where people are so used to throwing things away at the moment that it gets a little dirty, or has a small hole in it, or has a slight break,” Pauley said.

“It’s important that we bring back skills and mindsets that encourage repair. This way, the items will stay out of landfills, we will acquire new skills and ultimately we will save money.”

Visit Segerstrom Center’s website to sign up for a Plaza Pass for free event entry and to RSVP to the community bike ride: scfta.org/events/2025/earth-day-fix-it-fair