Dear SolarFest community,

As many of you know, the Sunset Celebration last summer began a process of re-visioning SolarFest. The wonderful news is that SolarFest lives, breathes and will thrive in a new home at Southern Vermont Art Center in Manchester, Vermont! We are thrilled at the opportunity to meet again in a beautiful space to build sustainable community. We are committed to retaining the flavor, feel, and quality of the past, while we continue to reach out to new audiences and expand our ability to educate, celebrate, and create positive change in our world.

SAVE THE DATE! We will inaugurate SolarFest’s partnership with SVAC on Friday, July 15th and Saturday, July 16th, 2016. We’re calling it a Sunrise. While we’re still working out the final details, the festival’s success depends on YOU!

SIGN UP! Volunteer your time and talents — we need you now; we’ll need you in July. We are looking for people to take on all sorts of tasks as we rebuild and refresh the organization with Manchester as its center. Click here to tell us you’re in!

DONATE! With many thanks to so many of you, we successfully retired our debt of 2014. Now we need to rebuild our bank account so we can present the best possible SolarFest in July. Please give us your vote of confidence and support by making a donation.

ATTEND! Your presence at SolarFest Sunrise at SVAC – and spreading the word that we live and breathe – will help us thrive there. Check back in April to buy your tickets.

NEW ENERGY! SolarFest begins its third decade with an enthusiastic Board of Trustees comprised of some founding members and some new ones. With abundant gratitude to the retiring Trustees, we welcome the new Board. Several former Trustees (Steve Goldsmith, Melody Squier, Kevin Kiefaber, and Jeff Skelskie) will be joining me as members of an Advisory Board and will be active in this transitional year. The commitment and energy of the new Board and Advisors is deeply impressive. The organization is in excellent hands!

I have long maintained that SolarFest has a will of its own: it attracts the people it needs to make it happen. Please put us in your minds and calendars and plan to be a part of SolarFest 2016.

With great optimism,

Melissa Chesnut-Tangerman, retiring President