TINMOUTH, VT – SolarFest, a three day music festival and sustainability conference, will be celebrating its twentieth anniversary from July 18th through the 20th, with a host of informative, entertaining, and inspiring workshops.
Since its inception, SolarFest has bridged the gap between education and the arts by hosting popular long-running workshops such as a “weed walk” that describes local plants around the beautiful 80- acre Forget-Me-Not Farm, where SolarFest has been held for the past 10 years, as well as practical hands-on workshops like Solar Roofing Best Practices.
This year, SolarFest will be offering over eighty workshops that fit into 8 categories: Renewable Energy, Sustainable Agriculture & Food, Thriving Communities, Youth & Family, Green Building, Climate Change, Green Transportation, and, for the second year in a row, the SolarFest Mini Maker Faire®.
Through its workshop offerings, SolarFest remains true to its mission of connecting people, the arts, ideas and technology, and fostering partnerships for a vibrant present and a sustainable future.
Always popular at the festival is the SolarFest site tour, where attendees can see exactly how all of the power for a three-day, multi-stage festival is run by renewable energy.
But the workshops cater to interests far beyond the general scope of renewable energy.
“In today’s ever-changing world, it is important to recognize that every part of how we live is interconnected,” says Patty Kenyon, SolarFest’s Managing Director, “and so we cannot address energy issues without also taking a look at other aspects of living a green and sustainable lifestyle.”
To this end, the agricultural and food-related aspects of sustainable living will be covered by the festival’s Keynote Speaker and New York Times Best-Selling Author Sandor Katz, who will discuss the importance of fermentation as a means of food preservation. He will also be hosting a workshop on the topic. Other interesting agriculture and food-focused workshops include Making Your Own Mead, and a film screening of “Ceres’ Children,” part 5 of the Freedom & Unity: The Vermont Movie documentary, followed by a discussion with the filmmakers. The film raises tough questions about Vermont’s current and future agricultural landscape.
Children will not be left out of the fun of learning at SolarFest either. SolarFest offers more than a dozen workshops specifically for kids at this family-friendly event. In addition to watching performers at the Family and Youth tent and to participating in activities which this year are created by Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum, young people will have the opportunity to build and race their own Solar Cars, make their own Sundials, and learn how to develop their very own worm composting bin.
Adults will also be able to build something of their own. From learning how to build a Tiny House, an Electric Motorcycle, or a Hydraulic Pump System, to grasping the basics of building a Climate Change movement, SolarFest will have something to offer every attendee.
More information on workshops, music, and more, can be found at the festival’s website: www.solarfest.org.
About SolarFest:
Celebrating its 20th year, SolarFest is the Northeast’s longest running solar powered music festival and sustainability conference. 20 years ago, the idea was simply to demonstrate the power of the sun by harnessing its energy to deliver a first class music festival. Over time we have grown our educational offerings, while remaining true to our roots. We now offer programming for all ages, including hands on and in depth educational opportunities, music, theater, art, and an experience that empowers and inspires people to make positive change in their own lives, and in their communities. SolarFest’s mission is to connect people, the arts, ideas and technology, fostering partnerships for a vibrant present and a sustainable future. Join us for a day or the entire weekend, July 18-20, 2014 at Forget-Me-Not Farm in Tinmouth, Vermont. More info at SolarFest.org.
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