Alternative Power sources - SolarFest, July 16 & 17 Forget-Me-Not Farm, Tinmouth VT

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SolarFest, July 16 & 17 Forget-Me-Not Farm, Tinmouth VT

Dave Pyles

2005-06-26, 6:25 pm

Dar XXXXXXXX, The Duhks, Mecca XXXXXX Among The Stellar Line-Up For
Solarfest In Tinmouth, Vt, July 16 And 17.

Also Featured: Jim Gilmour Band, Performance Poet Chris Chandler, Steph
Pappas, Village Harmony, Studio Bliss Dancers, Frank Asch's
Theater-In-The-Woods

Solarfest's Keynote Speaker Is David Holmgren, Originator Of The
Perma-Culture Concept

SolarFest, dedicated to educating people about renewable energy and
sustainable living, has another strong line-up of top-notch performers
for its eleventh annual festival at Forget-Me-Not Farm in Tinmouth,
Vermont, July 16 and 17.

New Folk singer Dar Willliams, a long-time friend to SolarFest, graces
the stage on Sunday, July 17 in a rare appearance (Ms. XXXXXXXX has
sharply curtailed her touring in recent years). Dar XXXXXXXX is one of
this generation's truth-telling songwriters, who delivers her gems of
song with great wit and energy.

The Dukhs, a five-member band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, ply their
high-energy "CajunCelticFolkPunkFusion," "progressive soul-grass," blend
of Irish fiddle tunes, Canadian French and Scots/Maritime folk, and
Appalachian Old Time string band with salsa and soul polyrhythms.

Top billing on Saturday night goes to the high-energy percussive-driven
Mecca XXXXXX <http://www.meccabodega.com>, from New York City. Their
instrumentation ranges from African drums and Brazilian percussion to
hammered dulcimer, found objects, guitars, didjeridoo, and voice.

Also appearing on the renewable-energy powered stage are the Jim Gilmour
Band, Patino Vasquez and Mondo Sweetie, performance poet Chris Chandler,
singer-songwriter Steph Pappas, Village Harmony, the Studio Bliss
Dancers, and winner of last year's SolarFest Singer/Songwriter contest,
cellist Nick Ogawa.

Children's book author Frank Asch <http://www.frankasch.com/> has
written a new original play for SolarFest's Theater-In-the-Woods, where
the audience follows the characters as the plot develops among the trees
and rocks of Forget-Me-Not-Farm's wooded acres. Mr. Asch has also
written a performance piece for adults that explores the issues
surrounding children who are conscripted to fight in wars around the
world. The performance piece will be presented Saturday evening at the
festival.

SolarFest’s keynote speaker, David Holmgren , is best known as the
co-originator with Bill Mollison of the permaculture concept following
the publication of "Permaculture One" in 1978. Since then he has written
several more books, developed three properties using permaculture
principles, conducted workshops and courses in Australia, New Zealand,
Europe and Japan. Within the growing and international permaculture
movement, David is respected for his commitment to presenting
permaculture ideas through practical projects and teaching by personal
example, that a sustainable lifestyle is a realistic, attractive and
powerful alternative to dependant consumerism. As well as constant
involvement in the practical side of permaculture, David is passionate
about the philosophical and conceptual foundations for sustainability
which are highlighted in his latest book, Permaculture: Principles and
Pathways Beyond Sustainability. With this book already on its second
print run, and an increasingly high profile as a public speaker, David
Holmgren provides leadership with his refreshing and unorthodox approach
to the environmental issues of our time.

Holmgren's talk is entitled Global Energy Peak: Threat Or Opportunity.

The historically momentous global peak in production of high quality
fossil fuels due this decade is already causing shock waves through the
world economy and reshaping geopolitics. Barely recognized by the
public, policy makers or even activists, this event will precipitate a
cascade of environmental, economic, political and cultural changes for
which society is totally unprepared.

While these changes will be seen as a threat, global energy peak has the
potential to quickly eclipse climate change as the driving force behind
the sustainability imperative.

For over 25 years permaculture has provided a coherent design framework
for a broad range of empowering strategies for living and livelihood
with less and less energy. While the understanding and adoption of these
strategies has been slow in an era of expanding energy, the emerging
energy descent era will make many radical permaculture solutions natural
and obvious.

David Holmgren's dramatic graphical presentation gives an empowering and
inclusive understanding of permaculture as a multi-faceted design
response to energy crisis.

In addition to the keynote speaker and two-day schedule of performances,
over twenty workshops on renewable energy and sustainable living will
take place. Also, SolarFest is working with Renewable Energy Vermont to
present a series of in-depth hands-on workshops in the week leading up
to the festival.

More than fifty renewable energy and sustainable living vendors will
exhibit, among numerous craft and food vendors.

SolarFest is the only festival of its kind, combining top-notch
performance, including music, theater and dance, two days of relevant
and practical educational opportunities, all powered with 100% renewable
energy.

The low $20 weekend ticket price includes free walk-in camping. Tickets
can be purchased at the SolarFest web site or at the gate.

For detailed schedules and more information about SolarFest, please
visit the web site at www.solarfest.org.

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