Through a friend we connected with a wonderful event that I feel is headed towards its own version of the Maine Common Ground Fair. I asked Scott to write a piece about SolarFest to give our readers the opportunity to find a new and exciting place to play this summer with some really great people! Thanks Scott.

Much of the innovation and progress taking place today around sustainable energy, both in the US and elsewhere, is happening through small-scale, community involvement. Many visionaries believe that aggressive conservation — ultimately an individual effort — combined with small, sustainable power generation systems interconnected to our existing power grids, will play a critical role in downsizing humanity’s global carbon footprint.

Nurtured in places both urban and rural where communities stand strong and individuals remember how much their choices matter, people like you and me are figuring out how to embrace sustainable technologies like solar power, wind power and biofuels in combination with thoughtful, conservation-minded choices about everything from food and water to toys and cosmetics.

If you’re ready to explore exactly how you can begin utilizing the latest technology and information for energy conservation and “personal power generation” in your own life, you need look no further than the rolling green hills of Vermont. That’s where you’ll find SolarFest 2008 (www.solarfest.org), the New England Renewable Energy Festival.

More than a Product Expo

SolarFest 2008 takes place on July 11th through 13th at beautiful Forget-Me-Not Farm, just southwest of Rutland near the intersection of Routes 133 and 140 in Tinmouth, Vermont. For fourteen years now, SolarFest has been celebrating the combined power of renewable energy, community action and the Arts to change the world. It’s through committed efforts like these, rippling out across the planet, that people everywhere are accessing new ways of living.

This is a festival that totally walks the talk. For example: through their photovoltaic solar grid SolarFest 2008 will generate more power than it needs and will actually help offset the power demands of the working farm on which the festival takes place! By using energy-efficient lighting such as LEDs, the stage lights at SolarFest consume about one-third the power of a conventional setup. Bottled water is not sold here, but clean, potable local water will be freely available. And the whole effort is “volunteer-powered.” It’s truly a labor of love… for the Earth and all beings.

Most importantly, SolarFest is not just about vendors and products. It’s about learning and doing — making renewable, sustainable living happen in your world. Over sixty workshops will teach us about renewable energy, sustainable living, green building, the art of community, agrarian skills, consumer conservation ethics, and much more.

You can come for a day and explore, but many participants plan to stay for the full three days and immerse themselves in a workshop “track.” There’s even a pre-festival, in-depth workshop on July 5-9, 2008 called “Introduction to Photovoltaic Technology” where participants will get hands-on experience creating the festival’s solar energy setup.

But it’s far from all work and no play at SolarFest 2008. Two solar-powered stages will feature hours of great music, keynote speakers, storytelling and theatrical entertainment, as well as numerous activities for families, kids and young adults. It’s not just a celebration of renewable energy possibilities but of art and community as well. And that includes food, crafts, cool product booths, and the kind of impromptu fun that you’re bound to have at such a happy, well-planned gathering. You can camp on-site with tent or car/RV, or stay in a local motel or B&B.

Growing Sustainably

SolarFest began in 1995 with a small group of friends — and ultimately a large group of volunteers — who shared a love of the performing arts and a commitment to living more sustainably and consciously. Even that first SolarFest ran entirely on renewable energy, thanks to its off-the-grid hosts. Since then the festival has grown steadily, with more performing artists, more solar power, more workshops, more volunteers and more attendees. SolarFest has been a 501(c)(3) non-profit since 1999.

Today SolarFest is widely regarded as New England’s most entertaining energy and music festival. Their website eloquently explains why:

"We combine superb family entertainment with presentations by some of the region’s most knowledgeable renewable energy experts. We thicken the mix with how-to and hands-on workshops on sustainable living, a special children’s activity tent, and a wide variety of food, craft, and renewable energy vendors. Our featured performers represent a far-ranging spectrum of styles and traditions from around the world. We provide plenty of space throughout the weekend for serendipitous encounters, conversation, dancing, hiking, camping, relaxation, and an overall celebration of our planet’s beauty."

And SolarFest’s current location at Forget-Me-Not Farm (since 2005) is its most expansive and welcoming venue yet. But these folks have energy to spare. They take the “Solar Works!” message on the road with their Solar Roller and Lightning Bug mobile solar power systems. These custom trailers with solar arrays, batteries and inverters bring power to other festivals, such as Earth Day events, throughout New England.

Diverse Workshops and Performers

Check out the list of workshops on the SolarFest website and you’ll be inspired, if not amazed, by all the choices. Workshop “tracks” include Renewable Energy Technologies, Green Building, Sustainable Agriculture, Thriving Locally and The Solar Generation (for young adults). Some of the workshops that caught this writer’s eye include:

• “Plug Your Home into the Sun!” An introduction to photovoltaic (PV) technology and its use as a source of electric power for the home.
• “Veggie Oil Cars: How You Can Get Started!” An in-depth explication of the different systems that allow you to operate a diesel vehicle on filtered waste vegetable oil, so you can decide whether to do-it-yourself or hire a pro, as well as tips on securing and filtering a veggie oil supply.
• “Homegrown Feed, Food and Fuel: Local Production, Local Use.” Is local production of biodiesel for local use sustainable? How can we prepare for an energy-constrained future?
• “So, You Want to Be a Solar Entrepreneur!” A discussion of opportunities and challenges for start-up solar enterprises.
• “Holistic Home Design and Creation.”
• “Creating Community Leadership on Climate and Energy.”
• “Solar Car Racing” Kids ages 10-14 get to design, test and race solar-powered vehicles!

And then there’s the lengthy list of performers and keynote speakers: more activists, artists, songwriters and storytellers than you might imagine could possibly entertain you over only three days. You owe it to yourself to visit http://www.solarfest.org/performers.htm and just... start scrolling. Among the highlights: Frances Moore Lappé (best-selling author of Diet for a Small Planet), singer/songwriters Dar Williams and Anaïs Mitchell, veteran touring band Bonepony, performance troupe The Born Again Floozies, storytellers Jennings and Ponder (with SolarFest for all fourteen years!) and the All Species Puppet Troupe. And let’s not forget the singer/songwriter competition.

And powering it all is: the sun, the wind, and considerable human ingenuity. If you’re inspired to connect with New England’s renewable energy community and the possibilities for positive change that it offers, come up and experience the energy of SolarFest 2008 for yourself. After all, one of our most valuable renewable resources is each other.

Scott Cronenweth is a freelance Shamanic Budhist Naturalist Bird Guide Personal Dog Servant writer in idyllic South Portland, Maine. Connect with Scott at www.naturalpathwalks.com.