The UA Environmental Council’s annual Earthfest, an early celebration of Earth Day, will be in full swing Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with activities for all ages provided, according to a UA news release.
“It’s our big event for the spring semester, so everyone we’ve got is putting in their all,” said Mallory Flowers, a member of the UAEC. “Earthfest is the perfect spring festival: You get to be outdoors to enjoy this amazing weather we’ve been having, there’s live music, local artists showcasing their works and all manners of hands-on craft activities.”
Last year’s turnout totaled about 1,000 people, said UAEC Secretary Caitlin McClusky.
But Earthfest isn’t just about music and crafts, like making pet rocks and planting seedlings.
“Earthfest is about realizing that being environmentally conscious doesn’t mean you have to love things like camping and walking to work or that you have to become a total hippie, ditch your shoes and stop cutting your hair,” Flowers, a freshman majoring in chemical engineering, said.
Along with live music, tie-dying T-shirts and face painting, Earthfest will also include a clothing and accessories swap for the second year.
“It’s basically a trading post. Nothing too big should be brought, but any clothes, accessories or other items that are taking up room in your closet will be perfect for it,” McClusky said. “Come with something you want to get rid of or you think that someone else might want, and walk away with something else.”
Bands will perform in about 30-minute intervals from 1 p.m. — 5 p.m., beginning with Callooh! Callay! and ending with The Hypsies, whose set begins at 4 p.m. Other bands are Christiane Smedley, Sparrow & the Ghost and Rebecca Marshall.
“We’re very excited about playing at Earthfest for the second year in a row,” said Bowen Roberson, drummer for Callooh! Callay! “The people putting it together and the people involved in it all are great and have a good visions for constructing Earthfest. We believe in sustaining the environment, and the Environmental Council is really all about that.”
McClusky said the bands will not be paid, but that it is more about the exposure for the local bands and artists.
Robertson, a senior majoring in education, said playing pro bono isn’t a problem.
“I think Earthfest is just as important as any other informative, environmentally-friendly festival,” he said. “We can never learn or help enough in trying to keep this beautiful earth we live on in as pristine of a condition as we possibly can.”
Brian Van Nostrand, a sophomore whose major is undecided, said he has previously attended Earthfest and is looking forward to going again this year.
“I think Earthfest is an important tool to organize people of common environmental concern together in order to reinforce to one another that there are groups working toward a sustainable future,” he said.
McClusky said Sunday’s Earthfest will be smaller than in 2009, but said organizers still expect a good turnout.
“The weather looks like it will be nice, and our advertising campaign is turning out to be pretty effective,” she said. “People know about Earthfest and many people attend every year.”
