Vashon Island Earthfair August 5, 2005

This weekend (August 5th, 6th & 7th), Island Earthfair takes place at Paradise Ridge Park off of 220th Street (follow the signs from both ends of the island!). Admission to Earthfair is $10 per day or $40. for camping overnight all weekend. Kids are free with a paying adult.

This years music lineup is spectacular, with lots of new performers from all over the Pacific Northwest, as well as distant places like New York, Berkeley, Tucson, New Orleans and more. This year, we welcome KBCS-91.3 Community Radio as one of our sponsors at Island Earthfair and thank them for their support!

Friday, August 5th will be Food Bank Friday. You pay only $5 (half price) if you can bring a donation for the Vashon Food Bank. Items that are needed and very useful for the Food Bank are: peanut butter, jelly, canned soups, fruit cups, soy milk (asceptic packs - nonrefigerated until opened kind), canned tuna or chicken, etc. Summer overall is a great time to donate kid foods - things that kids can grab for themselves or are easy to prepare. They also accept things like toilet paper, feminine hygene products, diapers, pet food, laundry detergent and other toiletries and such (these are items that are usually in short supply and high in demand).

Come on out to Paradise Ridge Park on Friday after work, enjoy dinner and listen to Just Fiddlin Round, a wonderful island ensemble with two ten year old fiddlers with ?mom? backups on guitar and cello playing bluegrass, traditional folk and some Celtic tunes. Taking violin lessons from islander Gaye Detzer, Megan and Hannah will win your heart with their fiddlin? skills and vocals. Full Nelson Mandala may not be from Vashon, but they might as well be....they have heavy ties to the island. Best described as ancient psychedelic dance metal, they will entertain you with funky, tribal, melodic music. Turner Down is also playing Friday night, playing their original groove music?when these guys get going...they?re unstoppable and highly entertaining with their jams. Closing out Friday night, Bob Krinsky brings his Mumbo Jumbo band to Main Stage and there?s no telling what Bob will bring to the stage....whatever it is though, it?s guaranteed to rock the house. Backed by at least nine other seasoned band members, Bob will stir up a dance party stew of Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo.

Returning to Island Earthfair to emcee Main Stage is none other than Doug Green, one of the founding creators of the infamous ?Reggae On The River? festival. Doug has designed venues and done operations consulting for the past ten years and remains an ?MC at large? to this day. We?ll also have a few surprise local emcees to fill in at the Main Stage and host the Casbah One World Stage.
Saturday on the Main Stage, Tribal Voices will open up the music portion of the day, bringing everyone out of the woods with their soulful sounds. Next, out of Bellingham, Dig The Particulars will take the stage with their blend of explorative improvisation with solid songwriting. Next up is speaker Stacy Carkonen, who will present work related to ending poverty and hunger in third world villages and giving women microcredit loans to bring income to their families. Following Stacy will be The Panda Conspiracy, who will take you on a musical tour of styles from drum & base to island style dub to polyrhythmic African groove. Next, the Hejira World Jazz band will deliver strong tribal beats, fiery guitar, passionate violin and sensual vocals....along with belly dancers to dance with you to the Middle Eastern beats. Forgotten Sol is back again this year, bringing us that smokey alto voice of Cristina Orbe along with a six member band this time. An island and crowd favorite, Rafe Pearlman is back with his band and he?s not to be missed?his voice is incredible, something you?ll remember for a long time. We needed to throw in some world class jazz, a mixture of true organ jazz & grooves with electronica and drum & base, so we are pleased to welcome Ari Zucker & Friends to Earthfair this year. Things are starting to heat up now. Next on stage is Clan Dyken, a well seasoned festival band that has played over 1500 live shows, released nine albums on their own label and plays a unique, danceable, stylistically varied music that will draw the crowd in. They are best known for playing in clear cut forests, proposed nuke dumps, nuke test sites, Indian reservations and many more cutting edge venues, often using solar generated electricity and/or plant fuels for recording and performing. Closing out Main Stage Saturday night will be island band Trolls Cottage, who just released an incredible 12 song CD last summer and they already have new songs that they've been working on all winter, many of which you will hear at this years Island Earthfair. Coming back from a self-imposed winter hiatus, their creative juices are flowing and they are ready to bring it. Last year's performance was off the charts and boasted the largest crowd ever at Main Stage...this year will be even better. Closing out Saturday's line-up, TC will fill the air with roots reggae and original beats. If you want to hear passionate original songs from the heart, reserve your spot up front early and get ready to dance.

Sunday, the Main Stage comes alive again with the sounds of Hunab Ku, a name for the Galactic Center where time is synchronous rather than sequential. Following them is Spoonshine, a really talented band out of Anacortes with three part harmonies, mandolin, guitar, keys, woodwinds, bass and African percussion. These guys are playing everywhere these days...we were lucky to talk them into coming to the island! Next up, Irina Rivkin will sing her gutsy vocal world-folk original music with occasional travels into Russian & Spanish language lyrics, creating rhythms, melodies and harmonies..all live on the spot using her loop station instrument. After her is Anna Coogan and north19, a traditional bluegrass, country, rock & blues band with banjo-driven sounds backing Anna?s haunting vocals.

After Anna, we are pleased to announce that Congressman Jim McDermott, representing Washington State's 7th Congressional District, will be speaking on Main Stage at 3pm. Congressman McDermott will be speaking on the Environmental Effects of the War on Terrorism for the People of Afghanistan, Iraq and the World and then taking questions afterward.

Next up is Lola Tarot, who will weave together improvisational theater, music and dance with Tarot card readings, creating uniquely interactive one-of-a-kind performances. Audience members ask questions, and through the use of various Tarot card spreads, watch these rituals come to life. Then, all the way from New Orleans, we welcome The Omega Project....a genre-bending jam band combining psychedelic grooves and uplifting vocals to inspire dance, celebration and positive change. Closing out Main Stage on Sunday is Scott Huckabay, a descendant from the Chiricahua/Apache Tribe in southern Tucson, Arizona. Scott was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 1987 that left him partially paralyzed....which led him to play the acoustic guitar that created a new inspired lifestyle and sound. If you like Joe Satriani, you?ll love Scott. Closing Circle will be conducted by Paul Wagner of the Saanich Tribe.

Returning to Earthfair for the second year in a row is the Casbah Teahouse out of Tucson, a gigantic hemp Bedouin tent that serves as an eating zone complete with Moroccan tea tables and oriental rugs by day, and a cushion-filled, cuddle-puddled acoustic music dream space by night! They also bring great vegetarian food along with a variety of teas and coffees.

We have incorporated the One World Stage into the Casbah Teahouse again this year, making for an even more exciting venue to see musicians. Don?t miss these performers on the Casbah One World Stage---on Saturday, Paul Wagner will play his traditional Native American flute along with his mbira from Zimbabwe, followed by many of Vashon?s talented musicians such as folk singer Patrick Bennion, dobro guitar master Tab Tabscott, the inspiring Tiny Bit O? Love, legendary folk singer John Browne, the soulful Maren Metke, the captivating funk-master Ron Hook, island favorite Sarah Christine (and friends!) and finally, the raging rock of Chomage. Also on stage Saturday, will be Joy Mills & Tom Parker?don?t miss this duo, their mandolin and harmonies are incredible. And finally, stick around to watch Denny At Dusk, with their wide range and hints of jazz, reggae, blues and rock.

On Sunday on the Casbah One World Stage, we welcome Amber Norgaard out of Tucson to start the day off. Then, we are excited to host several Indiegrrl performers, a 1300 member organization based here in the northwest.. Performing will be Sonya Heller, Carrie Clark, Kym Tuvim, Kristin Connell, Rachel Harrington, Kellee Bradley and Ter-ra. You will see some really incredible performances by these women so get there early and save yourself a soft pillow to sit on!

Off-stage, between performances on Main Stage, get ready to hear the powerful drumming of AFO, back again to draw you in to dance to their solid beats. They will facilitate our traditional Drum Circle on Saturday night, when the Main Stage has shut down. We invite all hand drummers to this years drum circle to participate...we?ll have Belly Dancers and hopefully a fire spinner or two.

Both Saturday and Sunday, there will be several speakers on hand as well as workshops. Many of these speakers will have booths or facilitate workshops at Earthfair during the course of the weekend. Join us at the Madrona Stage to see people like Stacy Hinden, who will conduct a Dancing InsideOut of body-mind dance improvisational workshop, or Barbara Gilles (once honored Teacher of the Year by then President Clinton) will speak about nurturing a compassionate genius within while co-creating a world that works for us all. Ms. Ememke will discuss how to use locally grown and wildcrafted herbs to make nutritious tea for a healthy pregnancy and Craig Winters will speak about Genetically Engineered Food. Mark Yelken (The Worm Guy) will have workshops both Saturday and Sunday on the benefits of worm castings. Neriah Lothamer, author of ?Dancing in the Shadow of Tyranny?, will discuss his involvement in many forms of activism and Dale E. Sturenegger will conduct a workshop on using the story to face change and transition. Jacob Bain will speak
about his recent trip to Burma and what he learned about Aung San Suu Kyi, (Ong Sawn Sue Chee) the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Burmese non-violent political activist who is now under house arrest in Burma. There will be a program available at Earthfair showing all venues with speaker/musician times.

Energy consumption is a concern for everyone. Research into cleaner burning fossil fuels, hydrogen fuel cells and renewable energies is front page news. As consumers, there?s a lot that each of us can do. But what? The Vashon Island Earthfair is a festival that celebrates alternatives. In the realm of energy, displays of solar panels, wind turbines, micro hydro and biodiesel vegetable oil fuel create a renewable energy park for visitors to tour. Solar hot water systems, photo voltaics with inverters and batteries, energy saving lifestyle choices and other sustainable alternatives will be at the Earthfair on August 6th and 7th. The North West Solar Group, an Earthfair mainstay, will be back again this year, and for the children, they will set up a waterfall with toy boats?all powered by a solar water pump! As with energy, our environment is also in the news. The pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels in the Seattle area is a rising concern. Some of the alternatives to transportation energy will be exhibited in the Earthfair?s renewable energy park. John Frost has been to six Earthfairs in a row, showing off his 1974 Porche 914 that he converted to electricity. He's been driving it to work every day for the past 8 years. A "zero-emissions" vehicle. Dan Freeman of Dr Dan?s Alternative Fuelwerks in Ballard will be there both to answer to questions about biodiesel and renewable energies and to offer a tankful of biodiesel to anyone who needs to fill up their diesel-powered car. Dan Borba is concerned that our water usage will soon surpass our water supply. He arrived at the Earthfair a few years back with a truck piled high with plastic barrels used to catch the rain water from gutter down spouts. Dan now has contracts with school districts and municipalities to install water catchment systems which will save thousands of gallons of water. He has a new kit that will be available for homeowners to assemble their own systems so that they can begin saving one of our most important and fragile resources: fresh water. Another staple at the Earthfair, Chris Herman, will talk about environmentally aware home designs. Chris?s designs not only harness the power of the sun and use less energy, but they are often built using sustainable or recycled materials thereby reducing the stress on our planet.

Our world turns on energy. And there are many alternatives to the fossil fuels that we now rely on. Global conflicts, climate change and economic concerns are some of the many reasons to explore renewable, sustainable alternatives. So come to the Earthfair to see what?s on the cutting edge!
The Healing Arts area at Earthfair is an opportunity to escape the crowd and sample one of the many alternative healing modalities. Several practitioners with varying specialties from Cranial Sacral to Polarity, Reiki, Acupuncture, Feldenkrais, Reflexology, Hawaiian bodywork, etc. Most offer a fifteen minute sample, and some work for donation only. It's a chance to try what is out there with out having to commit to an hour-long session.

The Healing Arts area is located in the south-east corner of Paradise Ridge park in a little valley buffeted from the noise. This area includes Sacred Song and Dance, a labyrinth, and the Tea House ... All of which enhance the energy and spirit of the place. Come and join us this year and take some time to honor yourself and the planet.
Our Sacred Song & Dance area offers programs in Tai Chi, Yoga, Belly Dance, Zazen Dialogue on Buddhist Practice, Dances of Universal Peace and more...be sure to check the website or Program Guide for the Sacred Song & Dance Schedule.

Kidsworld is full of surprises for the little ones this year with a Labyrinth talk & walk, storytelling and music, art workshops, candle making, tie dying, the Son of the Reptile Man will bring all his little creatures for the kids to see, mask making, face painting, a kid?s parade, bubbles, music and much more! If you?re a kid, there?s no better place to be!! There will be something for all ages -
the teenagers too who still want to play! We want to invite those without children to come to Kid's World to enjoy
spending time with our beautiful children and to share in their joy and sense of wonder while giving your time, attention, and talents.
Kid's World will be open from 10 am - 5 pm each day.

We are also hosting the first annual Cascadia Conference which will focus on creating a sustainable template for the future of our Bioregion. There will be a series of discussions about the successes to date in achieving greater sustainability in the Cascadian Bioregion, and about the barriers that currently impede further progress within this realm. For each topic of interest, the plan will be to begin the discussion with a brief summary of the ways in which a community in Cascadia is addressing the issue.

Food is one of the basic requirements of all life and will be bountiful at Earthfair this year. Our food vendors will be offering organic, wholesome and yummy food, with many different types of dishes to choose from. In The Casbah Tea House you will not only find fabulous music on our One World Stage but great Greek salads, falafel, organic white and sweet potato french fries and assorted beverages. Over at the food court you will find a local favorite the Tahini Genie serving up Bison burgers, free range chicken and porta bella mushroom burgers along with locally grown salads and fruit smoothie?s. Don?t miss ?Le Cocorico? and their to die for crepes filled with organic chocolate, berries and whipped cream or smoked salmon and cream cheese. The Sun Kitchen will grace us this year with their ?raw? food, lovingly prepared right here at Earthfair. Last year they had raw fruit pies, raw fruits and vegetables for sale and whole coconuts that they cut open for fresh coconut milk (straw included). Last but certainly not least Julie?s E`x?presso will be offering hot and cold espresso?s made with a choice of organic or soy milk, a large variety of teas and Italian soda?s made just how you like them.
So, you can see.....Earthfair is jam-packed with all kinds of things?there is bound to be something for everyone this year. Come out and be entertained, indulge in some great food, get educated on things that you?ve often wondered about.......or just lay back in the grass and take a nap. Whatever the case....come out to Paradise Ridge Park and have some fun!