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Festival News  From the Festival Director/FounderWell -- organics are hot, organics are hip, organics are mainstream. Whatever you may think about corporations such as Wal-Mart jumping on the organic bandwagon, the fact is: organic is in the spotlight. Passionate debate about the place and role of organics in our food system is in the news. Creative ideas and initiatives are sparked by such debate, and I am very excited about what lies ahead. More exciting news ... In the past few weeks, the festival office has received inquiries from Berlin, South America, Texas, California, Quebec, Manitoba, Alberta and from all over BC. Over 60 exhibitors have registered. We have exceeded last year’s totals, and there is still a month left! How are plans coming together for the festival? Well, organically, of course. The wine tasting event this year will once again feature Summerhill Pyramid Winery from Kelowna. Come and find out why wine made from organic grapes bottled and stored in a 4-storey high replica of the Great Pyramid goes down smoother and more aromatically. BC Wild Salmon from Sointula and Oysters from Quadra Island will compliment Kelowna’s best. Organic savoury munchies and chocolate provided by Planet Organic Market will ensure a lip smacking finish. On the organic gardening side of things, the festival is replete with experts that know how to nurture garden soil and soul without harsh chemicals and pesticides. Carolyn Herriot will share her popular, 12 Months of Organic Gardening Tips, presentation. A dozen organic horticulture exhibitors will be on hand to provide advice, promote and sell their earth friendly products and services. The Farmers Market is fully booked with an eclectic mix of farm producers that will sell fresh local organic produce, Quadra Island scallops, Denman Island oyster mushrooms, Happy Valley lavender, Valhalla Farm herbs, jams, jellies and an organic vegan cook book with original recipes from Phoenix Organic Farm B & B. The keynote presentation, Can organic food protect us against Cancer? by Guy Dauncey promises to increase organic literacy and improve health when instructions are followed. Numerous other presentations and story telling for all ages (in the atmospheric Japanese Garden) will inspire and educate the whole family. There is much more happening and not room enough to mention it here. We will be updating the web site with more information (please check back regularly) about who is coming, presenting, performing, and yes, before I forget -- why we need MORE volunteers. Did I say we need more volunteers? About volunteering, Kimberly Elkas, a wonderful volunteer from last year’s festival, will be coordinating the volunteer team. Please call 598-9368 (after 5 pm) or email her: kimberlye@shaw.ca. Volunteer contributions are vital to ensuring that the festival is once again an amazing experience for everyone involved. Finally, I want to part the curtain and give you a glimpse of what is going on behind the scenes as we get ready for BC’s largest organic lifestyle fair. While writing this newsletter, emails have been going back and forth between me and California (from an exhibitor on his blackberry who will be serving organic yerba mate at the festival), and Colombia in South America (from the General Manager of a company wanting to share its expertise in organic quinoa production). While I muse on how the Internet teaches us about the interconnectedness of our world, I wonder whether we, and our youth especially, will absorb this lesson, whether the time spent online will actually prepare us for, and not alienate us from, the work with the earth that lies ahead. Balance is required, of course, and events like this festival provide an opportunity for everyone to take time out to discover how we are connected in the natural not just virtual world. Thank you for reading this far. I look forward to sharing at least one more update before July 8 and 9, 2006. I hope we will see you then.
Yours for a sustainable, organic future, Contact Deb. p.s. The Ideas Show on CBC Radio, 9 pm PST, Thursday, June 8, final show in series: Organics goes Mainstream. Please read on to find out about:
1. Important Dates - Next Orientation Meeting: Tues. June 27
1. Important DatesOrientation Meeting
Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 5 pm to 6 pm New exhibitors and volunteers are invited to meet festival organizers, and find out about:
Please RSVP by June 27 (morning). contact Deb. Exhibitors who participated in the first Orientation Meeting are not required to attend.
2. Advertise in the Organic Islands Festival Program DirectoryBC’s largest organic lifestyle fair will publish a Program Directory that will include festival program, schedules and information on exhibitors, sponsors and advertisers.Advertising Rates Receive discount rate when you book before June 15.
Full Page: $750 Discount Rate: $562.50 Colour is extra. *Directory listing includes name, address, phone, email, and web address published in the printed Festival Program Directory and on the web site. Please contact Deb. 3. Thank you!Thank you to the almost 40 exhibitors and volunteers who attended the Orientation Meeting, and thank you to Level Ground Trading, LifeStyle Markets and Planet Organic for keeping everyone happy with good food and drink. Happy well fed people make my job easier. (Note to self: Feed people well at festival.)
4. More about Wal-MartThe Greening of Wal-Mart (by Guy Dauncey, EcoNews June 2006)Hello? Wal-Mart going green? Life is full of paradoxes. Wal-Mart’s CEO, Lee Scott, has become a little troubled by global climate change, and has also become a grandparent. "On a personal level, as you become a grandparent, you also become more thoughtful about what the world will look like that she inherits", he said in an interview with the Grist’s Amanda Griscom Little, in April. Taking a leaf from the book Natural Capitalism (and guided by – who else? - the Rocky Mountain Institute), Scott has set some changes in motion. Last October, he announced a new goal to transform Wal-Mart into a company that runs on 100% renewable energy, produces zero waste, and sells products that sustain the world’s resources and environment. To this end, Wal-Mart is investing $500 million annually in technologies and innovation that will reduce greenhouse gases by 20% by 2012; open a prototype store that uses 30% less energy and GHGs by 2009; reduce solid waste from US stores by 25% by 2009; increase fleet efficiency by 25% by 2008, 50% by 2015; and double the selection of organic food. With its huge market clout, Wal-Mart hopes it can influence global markets: "I ask, what happens to the solar panel market if Wal-Mart makes a large commitment to solar panels? What happens to the cost of compact fluorescent light bulbs or green building materials?" More...
5. Festival UpdatesWe would like to keep you informed about festival developments; however, if you would like to be removed from the list, please send a return email and type "remove" in the subject line.
Please contact us if you have questions or need help. Or visit the web site:
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Sponsors             Feedback from our sponsors and partners
"Nature’s Path Foods was a sponsor and exhibitor at this first festival for Organic Islands. The organizers did a fantastic job of advertising and promotions for the event. A consumer profile of the attendees may be described as "main-stream organic" meaning that they had previously sought out and bought organic products, and had some generic knowledge of organic issues. Overall the event was a success and provided great exposure and access to lots of networking with other organic enterprises."
Dag Falck, Organic Program Manager
"An absolutely fantastic show and great weather to boot. That is to say, all that you were in charge of (and weren’t in charge of) was excellent! Level Ground Trading had a great show - the visitors were great to meet with."
Stacey Toews, Fair Trade and Social Justice Advocate
"We’ve been getting rave reviews about the weekend and what a great event you produced. The feedback has all been positive and everyone is looking forward to the Second Annual Organic Islands Festival."
Robyn Burton, Executive Director |