The Great Green American Fest will be held July 13-15 on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, and is designed to highlight current green practices in all manner of life, and to give participants strategies to help keep green.

Activities, displays and presentations will be for the whole family. The Festival will deliver messages of education and awareness through the active participation of popular entertainers, environmentally conscious groups and businesses, their displays and participatory events.

Co-presented by Ducks Unlimited, the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Protection, AmeriGreen Biofuel, York College of Pennsylvania, the PA Academy of Science, Rodale Institute, E~The Environmental Magazine, Department of Agriculture PA Preferred program, PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture, New Holland Concrete, Fairie Festival, Kreider Dairy, ERA Bikes, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, WGAL-TV 8, 101 the ROSE, ELA Landscape Architects, MM Architects, and Waste Management, The Great Green America Fest will fill all 35-acres of the festival site, home of the annual PA Renaissance Faire and the Celtic Fling & Highland Games. More than 150 “green-friendly” vendors and artisans will offer their products along with displays.

A Friday night kickoff concert by a highly popular national performer begins the weekend. The 8 p.m. concert is just the beginning of three days of important messages of the need to conserve and protect our environment and preserve our eco-system.

Most visible throughout the festival will be the presentations of the major sponsors. York College’s Science Department is sponsoring a worldwide “Green Science Fair”, at the elementary school through senior high school level.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will set up interactive ecological activities for children along with the State’s environmental mascots. DCNR will provide activities which support the agency’s “Welcome to Pennsylvania ~~ Now Get Out” outdoor activities campaign.

AmeriGreen Biofuels will erect a large tent entitled “Fueling The Future”, with all manner of working exhibits on heating and cooling homes, how and where the biofuel is grown, and how use of same saves money while protecting our air and water.

For its part, Waste Management will set up numerous working displays about their land reclamation and recycling endeavors in progress since the late 1960’s. Other green-minded organizations will be present to reinforce the “Green” message of the weekend.

In addition, the Swashbuckler Brewing Company Bike Racing Team is producing a 20-mile and 30-mile ride starting and ending at the festival. Festival sponsors expect many more such activities to be added as the weekend for the event draws closer.

More ecologically friendly organization and businesses are being recruited daily.

For more information, visit the Great Green American Fest webpage.

7/6/2007