Great Green America Fest
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PRESS RELEASE
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Get Your Groove On and Make It Green to
Aid the Environment
The Great Green America Fest is “green and growing” as the second annual festival takes place May 3 & 4, 2008! For two days only on the naturally beautiful grounds of Victorian Mount Hope Estate & Winery in northern Lancaster County, environmental education and entertainment will come together for a weekend full of “edutainment” creating a family-oriented, fun-filled eco-folk fest, complete with music, games, food, arts and crafts, that has as its core preserving our environment.
Green AND Groovy
A phenomenal line up of Folk, Roots Americana and World bands and musicians playing continuously on three stages will create a non-stop soundtrack to which everyone can get “green and groovy” while soaking up the positive messages of the Green Fest.
Headliner Hot Buttered Rum weaves together the traditional sounds of folk and bluegrass with the modern influences of rock-n-roll, reggae and acoustic singer/songwriters. The band’s adoration of the natural world, passion for promoting environmental awareness and dedication to passing on a habitable planet to the generations to come makes them the perfect band to lead the Green Fest’s music & dance celebration of a greener earth.
“Buy Fresh, Buy Local” advocate and spokeswoman for Food Roots Network, Adrienne Young, adds her rootsy Americana music and environmental convictions to the heart-warming, festival feel of the weekend.
For those who prefer to groove to the music, the 2,000-square foot dance floor will host a rollicking dance party of the foot-tapping, high-stepping sounds of Cajun, Contra and Eastern European folk bands complete with dance lessons and demonstrations.
What All Is a Green Fest?
The Green Fest is a combined effort between Mount Hope Estate & Winery and a dedicated and focused group of “green” partners. The PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Waste Management and York College of Pennsylvania are just a few of the government agencies, major corporations, small businesses and not-for-profit organizations that have come together to share the message of bettering the environment.
Thirty acres of interactive educational presentations, hands-on activities and lively smart displays will cover a wide range of issues and ideas sharing the Green Fest’s message with children and adults alike. Knowledgeable speakers and field experts, including Doug Dirk of Ten Thousand Villages and SmartPower PA State Director Molly Tsongas, will shed light on a variety of topics including renewable energy, sustainability, global warming, biodiversity and fair trade. The PA Department of Environmental Protection will explore advanced energy technologies, clean water, energy conservation and clean air. Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary will introduce reptiles that share our planet while WGAL’s Jack Hubley takes a close look at some of the common mammals, snakes and birds of prey that have adapted to living with civilization and are very important to the ecosystem. The Renaissance Faire’s own Ash Cary will present exotic birds-of-prey, focusing on their behavior and their role in the eco-system.
A Helping Hand
Ducks Unlimited, the leading non-profit wetlands preservation organization, reinvests 87% of each donation back into conservation and education. One of the goals of the Green Fest is to present ways people can become involved in the Green movement and the Green Fest is doing its part by raising funds for DU through ticket and merchandise sales, entry fees and patron and business sponsorships.
The DU area will be humming with activities. Children will find the wood, tools and supervision necessary to build nesting boxes that may attract multiple species of ducks and other nesting birds. DU will display a man-made backyard wetland habitat complete with waterfall and bog area while experts discuss the benefits of wetlands. On Saturday, May 3, DU will sponsor an officially sanctioned Duck Calling Contest.
“Reduce, Reuse and Recycle”
Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority will be collecting computer-related items including CPUs, monitors, keyboards, and desktop printers, for recycling. Festivalgoers dropping off e-recycling will receive a $5 food voucher good for use at participating food vendors during the Green Fest.
Through the Sort Sport Waste Disposal Challenge, Waste Management proves that getting rid of trash could be entertaining and educational! At the five staffed Sort Sport stations throughout the Green Fest grounds, all festivalgoers will be asked to choose how the food and beverage waste they generate at the festival will be managed and then to dispose of the waste accordingly in the appropriate bins provided by Waste Management. Active participation in Sort Sport is key to helping the Great Green America Fest in its goal to “Think Green” and to reduce the amount of actual trash generated by the event.
Just for the “Tadpoles”
Children hold the key to a green future. In an effort to emphasize the importance of educating children about protecting and preserving the environment, admission to the Green Fest is free for children ages 11 and under. Up to four children ages 5 to 11 are free with a full paying adult.
The event offers many fun and engaging ways for children to learn how they can take part in helping to secure the health of the planet. The DCNR “Passport to a Greener World” program will guide children from place to place on the festival grounds with each stop featuring a green lesson. The life size board game, Great Stewardship Adventure Game, will test this newly learned knowledge with true or false questions about people, places and things related to conservation.
The Theater of the Seventh Sister will present two interactive eco-theater shows written exclusively for the weekend. Children of all ages will become the actors while learning about sustainability and simple ways they can reduce negative impacts on the environment. Bullfrog Films, the leading U.S. publisher of independently-produced environmental videos, will present an all day film festival that points the way to living healthily, happily and with greater concern for the other inhabitants of this planet and our descendants.
These are just a few of the many engaging learning experiences for kids so they grow up wanting to take an active role in "Getting Green, And Getting Involved.”
Connecting With Nature
For those who enjoy being outdoors, the “Adventure Sport and Outdoor Recreation” area, promoting DCNR’s “Welcome to Pennsylvania – Now Get Out” outdoor activities campaign, is the perfect place to explore the fastest growing trends in outdoor recreation, including geocaching and kayaking, as demonstrated by local state park officials. Vendors will display the outdoor gear essential and experts will talk about outdoor ethics and environmentally responsible recreation practices so all outdoors enthusiasts learn to “Leave No Trace.”
The Swashbuckler Brewing Cycling Team and ERA Ski & Bike Shop will present the Metric Century Bike Tour as part of the Green Fest. Three to four hundred cyclists are expected to turn out for the self-guided, self-paced bicycle tour through scenic Northwestern Lancaster, Lower Dauphin and Lebanon counties with 30 and 62 miles courses that start and end at the Green Fest festival grounds.
Green Friendly Crafts, Foods and Brews
Interspersed amongst the engaging displays, guest speakers and musical stages will be scores of vendors offering eco-friendly, fair trade and sustainable products for the home and business as well as artisans displaying hand-crafted wares.
In addition to the ales that are always on tap, Swashbuckler Brewing Co., the Renaissance Faire’s resident microbrewery, will feature a handcrafted, organic brew just for the occasion. The Wetlands Witbier is a light, refreshing Belgian Style Wit (white) Beer made with all organic malts, hops and spices. Chilled wines and Renaissance honey-mead straight from the cellars of Mount Hope Winery will also be available to quench any thirst.
Some 20 kitchens will offer dishes with international inspirations – Chinese, Mexican, English, Italian, German and American – and healthy choices including soups, salads and wraps made with organic fruits and vegetables. All of these delectable dishes will be served on wheat plates and corn cups that are compostable.
Whether coming for the education, the entertainment or just to be close to nature, the excitement of the second annual Great Green America Fest will occur Saturday and Sunday, May 3 & 4, from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday adult admission is $15.95 per day at the gate and up to four children under the age of 11 will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Green Fest details, contest registration forms, featured speakers and programmers, performer biographies and special discount ticket offers can be found at www.GreatGreenAmericaFest.com or by calling (717) 665-7021.
Mount Hope Estate & Winery is located on Route 72, a half mile south of PA Turnpike exit 266, 14 miles east of Hershey and 15 miles north of Lancaster.
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You Better Be Green!
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Even Betta B. Green, the Great Green America Fest’s recycling role model, does her part to help the environment. Discover what you can do during this family-oriented, fun-filled eco-folk festival filled with lively displays, lectures and hands-on demonstrations dedicated to preserving the environment. |
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Get Your Ducks In A Row!
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The Great Green America Fest is teaming up with Ducks Unlimited, May 3 & 4, to raise money for wetlands and waterfowl preservation. During this two day event, Ducks Unlimited will host a variety of activities including an official Duck Calling Competition (Saturday Only) and duck box building activity for kids as well as showcase a man-made wetlands habitat complete with live birds that can be built right in your own backyard. |
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A Wildly Good Time!
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Take an up close look at some of the wildlife that lives, literally, in your backyard with Jack Hubley, host of the syndicated program “Wild Moments,” at the Great Green America Fest, May 3 & 4, on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire in northern Lancaster County. |
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Three to four hundred cyclists are expected to peddle for the preservation of the environment May 4 at the Great Green America Fest’s Metric Century Bike Tour, a self-guided and self-paced tour through scenic Northwestern Lancaster, Lower Dauphin and Lebanon Counties. A portion of the bike race entry fee will be donated to Ducks Unlimited, the title beneficiary of the weekend long eco-folk festival on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. |
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Get green and groovy at the second annual Great Green America Fest, May 3 & 4, with Hot Buttered Rum, a band whose stunning instrumental and vocal virtuosity is blended together with adoration for the natural world creating an environmental message that is music to the ears. |
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Alternative fuel options, sustainable living practices and eco-friendly gardening tips are just a few of the new and forthcoming concepts presented May 3 & 4 at the Great Green America Fest where environmental education and entertainment come together to create a weekend of learning that is fun for the whole family. |
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Whether it’s building duck nesting boxes with Ducks Unlimited, sorting trash in Waste Management’s Recycling Olympics or taking center stage in the interactive green theater programs presented by Theater of the 7th sister, children of all ages get involved in the environment and the fun at the second annual Great Green America Fest May 3 & 4. |
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The second annual Great Green America Fest transforms the 35 acre Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire grounds into an outdoor, environmental classroom complete with interactive workshops, displays and films covering a wide range of issues and ideas. Live music, tasty foods, organic brews, arts and crafts and more enhance the festive fun awaiting the whole family, May 3 & 4. |
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The heavenly harmonies of The Lovell Sisters Band from Calhoun, GA, add their voices to the phenomenal chorus of Folk, Roots Americana and World musicians performing non-stop at the Great Green America Fest, May 3 & 4, on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire in northern Lancaster County. |
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Photos,
captions and logos by
Mt. Hope Staff
Copyright 2008 © Mazza Vineyards
Inc. D/B/A Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire |
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