E is for Environment, Energy, & Entertainment
Sarasota's Second Annual E-Fest May 13th
Posted Sunday, April 23, 2006
Experience a FREE Concert along the Bayside
SARASOTA, Fla. (March 7, 2006) – Sarasota furthers its claim as the sustainable living hub of Florida with the second annual Efest, the state’s only major community festival that celebrates the environment and sustainable living. Scheduled to take place May 13 at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and grounds on Sarasota Bay, Efest is expected to draw more than 10,000 attendees.
“The response to last year’s event was incredible,” explained Kara Antinarelli, one of the Efest coordinators. “This festival just took on it’s own life and the community got behind it”, echoed Kara’s Efest partner Ellie Gibeau. “We had exhibitors signing up for 2006 immediately after 2005 was over”.
People from all walks of life came to Efest last year. By highlighting the many “E’s” woven into our daily lives; Energy, economy, environment, entrepreneurship, ecology, education and Earth, Efest’s mission is to EDUCATE individuals about the benefits of sustainable living by raising the consciousness of our community, INITIATE lifestyle choices and changes regarding resource conservation, ENCORAGE personal responsibility towards protecting our local environment, and CELEBRATE the art of sustainable living by showcasing supportive businesses at an annual festival.
“We want Efest to be a gentle initiation to encourage people to make small, comfortable changes that all add up to making big differences in the way we live,” said Gibeau.
The initial sponsors of this year’s Efest are: Sarasota County Government, Sarasota Architectural Salvage, Whole Foods Market, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, East West College of Natural Medicine, Florida Power & Light, Warm Mineral Springs, Economic Development Corporation, Freaky Tiki and Sarasota News & Books. Sarasota Herald Tribune and Positive Change Media/Natural Awakenings Magazine are offering media support. The proceeds of Efest help to support the mission of the Friends of Sarasota County Parks, a nonprofit organization.
The festival will begin at 10:00 a.m. on May 13 and close at 5:00 p.m. This free festival offers a full day of music including world beat, reggae, Latin, folk, acoustic and more while offering attendees more than 100 exhibitors and vendors presenting healthy food choices, a marketplace full of color and texture with unique clothing, gifts, fair trade items, skin care products, household goods as well as new and innovative green products and services. New this year is an author series featuring prominent authors of newly released works highlighting one of the “E’s in Efest.
Efest offers a full day of world beat, reggae, latin, folk, acoustic & more
On Saturday, May 13, one of the many free Efest activities will highlight ongoing performances on two stages along the Bayside at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Performers include:
StitchCraft, a musical duo out of Sarasota, Florida that's guaranteed to make your head turn! Creating intricate vocal harmonies layered on jazzy, eclectic rhythms and melodies, it is the colorful poetry that shines in their songs, pulling in their audiences and revealing the connection they have with each other on stage.
Ideal and The Cultural Revolution is introducing roots punta rock to Sarasota! The complex Afro-Caribbean rhythms will have you shaking your body and healing your soul. Ideal is from Guatemala and his music highlights the culture of his people - the Garifunas (Black Carib Indians) of Central America. It's uplifting Belizian-style party music with traditional drumming, turtle shells and amazing rhythms from contemporary instruments.
Sarasota native, Tanya Radtke, and her seasoned band blend Americana, folk, and soul that create a soundscape evoking raw, personal, and thought-provoking energy. Her songs are capsules of the human experience; spiritually hopeful and potent, yet vulnerable and refreshingly honest. This trenchant, acoustic-flavored band will inspire you with their newly comprised songs to be released this summer on the forthcoming CD titled, "Begin"...
Radio-Free Carmela and the Transmitters perform their own blend of rootsy acoustic music. Their style reflects a passion for Americana influenced rock, along with the more tongue in cheek fringes of alternative country.
Big Night Out, a tropical style dance band that blends Latin, Caribbean, Funk & Soul. An explosive horn section and a pulsing conga add to the bouncing rhythm section and passionate bilingual vocals of Joni Adno. Voted 2005 Best of the Best of Sarasota - Weekly Planet
About Efest:
Efest, Florida’s festival created to celebrate sustainable living is a one-day event benefiting the Friends of Sarasota County Parks. The mission of Efest is to EDUCATE individuals about the benefits of sustainable living by raising the consciousness of our community, INITIATE lifestyle choices, ENCOURAGE personal responsibility towards protecting our local environment, and CELEBRATE the art of sustainable living by showcasing supportive businesses at an annual festival. For more information, visit the Website http://www.efest.us
Details:
When: Saturday, May 13, 2006
Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall bayside Sarasota, Fl.
Cost: FREE
For information about Sarasota and local accommodations visit the
Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau
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