Earth Day Festival 2014 Highlights Announced by Community Environmental Council

Santa Barbara, CA, April 15, 2014 – The Community Environmental Council (CEC) will host the 2014 Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival at Alameda Park on Saturday, April 26 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The event also includes over 200 exhibitors, a food court, beer and wine garden, main stage, and two mini-stages offering music and demonstrations.

“This year we are really focused on bringing community together, from the farm-to-table dinner to the Meet Your Makers section with local artisans,” said Sigrid Wright, Associate Director of CEC and the festival’s director. “We want people to see how they can connect at a local level to help make a global impact, and we’re encouraging everyone who attends to commit to taking small, meaningful actions. The CEC organizes the festival around its five initiatives: Drive Less, Choose Electric, Go Solar, Ditch Plastic, and Eat Local.”

Events that benefit the two-day festival

Opening Night Reception on Wednesday, April 23 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Seven Bar and Kitchen in Santa Barbara’s locally-brewed Funk Zone, hosted by Earth Day production partner New Noise Music Foundation and featuring live music, karaoke, and lots of fun. Tickets are on sale at www.newnoisesb.org. A portion of all proceeds benefit the Community Environmental Council and Santa Barbara Earth Day.

Pop-Up Farm-to-Table Dinner on Saturday, April 26 from 7 to 9 p.m at Alameda Park.

A large community table will be built in front of the main stage immediately after the last band on Saturday evening, and will feature a 4-course catered locavore feast. This is the only activity in the park with an admission fee. Organized by New West Catering and Cultivate Events, tickets to Earth Day’s first pop-up farm-to-table meal are $60/person and will feature:

· A hearty 4-course menu of local, seasonal ingredients with vegetarian options

· Pairings by Buttonwood Farm Winery and Firestone Brewery

· Live music by local artist Adam Phillips

This limited-seating dinner will sell out before Earth Day. To purchase tickets, visit http://sbearthday.org/festival-highlights/farm-to-table-dinner or contact Kathi King at 805-963-0583 x.108. Guests must be 21 years of age to attend. All proceeds benefit CEC.

Festival zones to visit

CEC’s Earth Day Festival is broken into zones, each created around a specific theme:

1. Drive Less. Location: near the corner of Anacapa and Micheltorena. Earth Day organizers work closely with the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, MTD bus service, Santa Barbara Car Free, and other partners to inspire attendees to come to the event “car-free.” Highlights include:

· Bicyclists can rest easy thanks to a large, secured, free BIKE VALET, hosted by Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition and Citrix.

· Check in with an Earth Day greeter at any entrance to claim a Raw Revolution reward

· Head to the Santa Barbara Car Free Check In booth to register for prizes. The Grand Prize is a pair of round-trip tickets for two on the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Santa Barbara to Portland or Seattle, including roomette accommodations.

2. Public Square: Location: on the west side of the park, along Anacapa. This zone offers an opportunity to get involved with dozens of nonprofits, local government agencies, and other public services organizations. Highlights include:

· Elected Officials Booth where citizens can speak one-on-one with state, county, and city legislative leaders. A full schedule will be posted by Friday, April 11 at www.SBEarthDay.org.

· A scaled replica of the Keystone XL pipeline by 350SB.org to raise awareness about climate change, oil production, and fracking.

3. Sports & Recreation. Location: on the west side of the park, near the corner of Anacapa and Sola. Back for its second year, this zone features eco-conscious sporting and outdoor companies that encourage Earth Day-goers to get outside and explore the world we’re preserving. Ways to get active abound in this zone, whether it’s testing out hula hoop skills, practicing karate moves, or talking shop with surfers and skateboarders.

4. Shop Local. Location: on the west side of the park, along Santa Barbara Street. Two zones are located here:

· The Eco Marketplace connects those seeking eco-friendly products with businesses that embrace green consumerism. Sustainable resources and practices combine to create a marketplace bustling with useful goods, including organic seeds, herbal and other homeopathic remedies, clothing made with low-impact and upcycled materials, and solar-powered LED lights.

· The all new Meet Your Makers section boasts a more highly-curated selection of goods, all hand-crafted by regionally-based small businesses with a penchant for sustainable practices. Find unique goods, including artisanal soaps, handcrafted wood, re-styled vintage clothing, and plant fiber stationary.

5. Choose Electric. Location: on Santa Barbara Street, between Sola and Micheltorena Streets. The 16th Annual Santa Barbara Green Car Show hosts the largest assembly of efficient and alternative-fueled vehicles between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and is the longest-running public Green Car Show in the United States. Highlights include:

· Free “Ride & Drives” Location: Corner of Micheltorena and Santa Barbara Take a spin in the latest all-electric vehicles, which get the equivalent of 100 mpg, including the widely acclaimed Tesla S, the the Toyota RAV4 EV (the first all-electric SUV on the market) and the top-selling electric car, the Nissan Leaf, along with other electric and hybrid cars. Ride & Drive filled up fast last year, so be sure to get there early!

· Owner’s Corner with a new Tesla Model S (Motortrend’s 2013 Car of the Year), Tesla Roadster, Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, and more. Local owners display these vehicles, offering a great opportunity to hear about the realities of electric car ownership.

· Local organizations that are greening their automotive fleets, such as ox Communications and the City of Santa Barbara.

6. Live Green: Location: on the east side of the park along Santa Barbara Street. Community members convene to share knowledge on practical ways to live sustainably, including various solar energy services, green builders, and permaculture professionals.

7. Eat Local: Location: on the west side of the park along Sola. In keeping with this year’s theme, Local Roots, Santa Barbara Earth Day has revamped the food section so attendees can not only enjoy more eco-conscious fare, but also can learn more about all the bounty available in the region. Highlights include:

· A Local Food Court where hungry festival-goers will find a greener-than-ever assortment of food prepared by locally-based vendors committed to sustainable practices and organic ingredients.

· The new Homegrown Roots zone featuring farmers, beekeepers, fishermen, and other representatives of our local food system.

· The Roots Stage (near the Food Court) features two days of eco-learning: seed saving, farm-to-fork and grain-to-loaf cooking demos, and discussions on probiotic drinks, sustainable meats, and more. A full schedule will be posted by Friday, April 11 at www.SBEarthDay.org.

8. Pledge to Act: Location: at the CEC booth on the west side of the park near Santa Barbara and Sola (look for the green and white striped tent). Earth Day is hosted by the Community Environmental Council, which offers festival-goers an opportunity to walk away from the festival with a plan of action for their own lives. At the CEC booth, attendees will make a pledge that aligns with one of CEC’s five major initiatives: Drive Less, Choose Electric, Go Solar, Ditch Plastic, or Eat Local. In addition, attendees have a chance to win prizes that support these goals, including a Tesla Model S rental package, a new beach cruiser, a basket of local food, and more.

9. Kids Corner: Location: on the east side of the park, near Sola Street. Kids revel in this eco-education extravaganza organized by LearningDen Preschool and SproutUp, with arts & crafts, musical performances, storytelling, and face painting. Highlights of Kids Corner include:

· Earth Day Family Passport. Families looking to engage kids in the festival can pick up an Earth Day Family Passport at the Santa Barbara Car Free Check In booth (across from Bike Valet near Anacapa & Micheltorena). Kids collect a stamp at each of eight fun, eco-friendly activities, culminating at the SproutUp booth in Kids Corner. Completed passports can be redeemed for a free reusable bag stocked with goodies and a raffle ticket for the chance to win a week-long summer camp with Surf Happens or the Orca Camp.

· Solar Powered Kids Corner stage. Two days of activities on a stage powered by the Solar Roller. A full schedule will be posted by Friday, April 11 at www.SBEarthDay.org.

10. Give Back: Location: at the CEC booth on the west side of the park near Santa Barbara and Sola (look for the green and white striped tent).

There’s always something more to learn, and CEC’s staff is there to educate. All attendees are welcomed to give back to CEC for all they do to raise awareness at Earth Day and throughout the year. Festival-goers can also spin the wheel to learn eco-facts and win prizes and watch the big screen for festival announcements and a stream of photos and videos being taken by Earth Day participants.

Live music on the Earth Day main stage:

Tap into the rhythm of locally grown reggae, electronic, bluegrass, rock, and instrumental music on the Main Stage, coordinated by the New Noise Music Foundation. A full schedule is posted at www.SBEarthDay.org and in the Earth Day Festival Guide (published in the Santa Barbara Independent on Thursday, April 24). Highlights include:

· Santa Barbara-based favorites like FMLYBND, Spencer the Gardener, Tommy & the Hi Pilots, and The Reignsmen (last year’s New Noise/ SB Independent Battle of the Bands winner).

· Headliner Hot Buttered Rum takes the stage on Saturday night.

Food and Drink

· Food Court. Location: on the east side of the park, along Sola Street. Dig into vegetarian-friendly food from local vendors dedicated to sustainable practices and organic ingredients.

· Coffee Kiosk. Location: on the east side of the park, along Sola Street. Back for a second year, the kiosk features Fair Trade coffee served up by high school volunteers from Dons Net Café. Make the experience greener by bringing your own mug.

· Beer Garden. Location: near the Main Stage. Enjoy delicious, cold beer from Firestone Walker’s lineup of 805, Pivo Pils, DBA, Pale 31 and Easy Jack plus a variety of local Santa Barbara wines. Kleen Kanteen reusable steel pints will be available for purchase to reduce plastic cup usage.

· Beer & Wine Gazebo. Location: in center of park on west side of festival. Those looking for a smaller venue to enjoy adult beverages can get pours of their favorite beer & wine during select times throughout the festival.

About the Community Environmental Council

Since 1970, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) has led the Santa Barbara region – and at times California and the nation – in creative solutions to some of the toughest environmental problems. Today CEC is focused on eliminating the use of fossil fuels in the Central Coast region in one generation – Fossil Free by ’33.

Partners

This year, CEC is partnering with LoaTree, New Noise Media Group, Oniracom, Plus One Events, Sprout Up, Learningden Preschool, Cultivate Events, and Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition to produce the festival. Cox Communications is the lead sponsor. Major Media Sponsors are KJEE, KTYD, KLITE, and Entravision. Other Media Sponsors are SB Independent, Parent Click, Noozhawk, and The Sentinel. Major sponsors are MarBorg Industries, Gold Coast Toyota Dealers, Allen Associates Construction, Amtrak, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Firestone Walker Brewing Company, and Classic Party Rentals. Other significant sponsors include Lazy Acres Market, Kleen Kanteen, 1st Solar, City of Santa Barbara, Klean Kanteen, REC Solar, Air Pollution Control District, Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition, Verizon, BMW Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara Nissan.

For more information on CEC:

· Find CEC on the web at www.cecsb.org

· Like CEC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cecsb

· Follow CEC on Twitter @CECSB and on Instagram @CEC_SB

· Call CEC at 805-963-0583 ext. 100.

As details are announced, the best way to get the most updated information – including schedules, maps, and stories — is to go to:

· Find Earth Day on the web at www.SBEarthDay.org, or the mobile site, http://m.SBEarthDay.org

· Like “Santa Barbara Earth Day” on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sbearthday

· Follow the event on Twitter @SBEarthday and on Instagram @SB_EarthDay

· Call CEC at 805-963-0583 ext. 100.