Saturday, August 18th & Sunday August 19th @ Stratton Mountain, VT
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Josh Fox Live
On Saturday at 2:30pm, legendary filmmaker and activist Josh Fox, will perform “The Truth Has Changed” a new solo monologue that traces the arc of American propaganda and misinformation from 9/11 to Trump from the perspective of the front lines.
“Entertaining, fun, insightful and important.” – Tim Robbins
Chris Martenson
Keynote address (5:00pm Sat.) by author of The Crash Course and co-founder of Peak Prosperity, on “Building Resilience”
Global events are unfolding rapidly, and you need to be both aware and prepared.
But are you?
“Among the handful of observers making sense of the economic scene.” —James Howard Kunstler
See the Latest: Festival Lineup, Workshops & Presenters
Click the image at left for a full graphic overview of the presentations.
Full-festival weekend tickets are only $40 each BUY TICKETS NOW
Kids under 10 are FREE — Sunday-only ticket is $20
If you would like to display your plug-in or zero-emission vehicle in our ZEV Courtyard, please email info@solarfest.org.
Join this two-day celebration of the power and the possibilities of a clean energy future. Packed with fun for the whole family; highlighting the latest in renewable energy & conservation, green buildings, sustainable living & food, music & arts, public policy & activism, and innovation, technology & transportation.
The doors open at 8:00 am on Saturday to diverse exhibits in the Vendor Village, with inspiring speakers and workshops kicking off at 9:00. After a full day of workshops and family activities on Saturday August 18th, the main stage music will be kicked off by The Balkun Brothers, named the ‘Best Rock Band in New England’ at the 2017 New England Music Awards. Headlining the event is Burlington’s own high-energy Gang of Thieves, following their “Work Together Tour” where they volunteered in numerous communities around the country hoping to make a positive impact.
Presentations, panels and activities run through 3:00 pm on Sunday August 19th, including family activities, yoga, dancing, movie screenings, great food and beverages, and the beautiful mountain vistas including gondola rides to the summit.
New to SolarFest? Before attending the workshops you may want to check out the easy-to-read renewable energy overview from Northeast Battery, including key facts and comparisons to fossil fuels.
On-site Camping and Rooms LODGING & CAMPING RESERVATIONS
There are a wide variety of lodging options, with rooms available at the Black Bear Lodge, Vantage Point, Obertal, Long Trail House, Village/Mountain Watch, Founders Lodge, Rising Bear Lodge, and Hearthstone Lodge, and camping at the beautiful Sun Bowl (with indoor rest rooms at the Sun Bowl base lodge) for $20 per night. Space is limited, so reserve early!
Unfortunately, not everyone can attend SolarFest’18. Read Sen. Bernie Sanders SolarFest Letter where he says:
“I am sorry my schedule does not allow me to join you at this year’s SolarFest, but I want to congratulate you for coming together to help build a clean energy future…SolarFest is critically important for another reason, too. I have long believed that real change comes from the grassroots. Change comes when people come together and speak out on the issues they care about, just as you are doing today.”
And SolarFest adviser Bill McKibben writes:
“I’ll be up on the Greenland ice shelf–which has billions of
metric tons of reasons why SolarFest is so important.”
ADDITIONAL NEWS & EVENTS
- NOFA Summer Conference August 10-12, 2018 at Hampshire College, Amherst, MA. This 3-day immersive annual gathering is packed with amazing education programming for adults and children, an array of fun spirited activities and the opportunity to be nourished by the collective wisdom and knowledge of decades of farming, gardening and activism that makes up the work of 7 NOFA chapters.
Keynoters this year are two visionaries working to create a more sustainable and just food system locally and globally – Rowen White of Sierra Seed Cooperative and Eric Holt Giménez of Food First. Rowen White is an Indigenous seed steward from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne. She weaves stories of ancestral foods and culture. Eric Holt-Giménez has studied and worked with Latin American farmers that have protected their farms from natural disasters by implementing agroecological methods on their land.
- Sustainably sourced food, made with sustainably produced power — Coming to SolarFest’18!
Vizavi, the solar-powered food cart operated by Julia Rhode, made its debut serving crepes, Popsicles, veggie burgers, and salads at the Bennington Farmer’s Market in Bennington. Rhode said she was inspired by a display at SolarFest in Manchester in 2016. - Hope Solar Farm – Brunswick, NY
Boardmember Kevin Bailey is launching a Community Solar Farm open to residents of 13 counties in eastern New York State. 
Delivering Energy Kits to Puerto Rico and Beyond
When residents of Caguas, Puerto Rico found that power wouldn’t be restored to their city for nine months, SolarFest Boardmember Bill Laberge took action. Starting with a prototype kit in carry-on luggage, and training local cooperativas to install systems, Interviewed in the Manchester Journal, Laberge said, “This is being done on the grassroots level. We want to train people in Puerto Rico, or Danby, or wherever they are that they can actually do this. What we want to do is help them help themselves.
