At the end of the month, Sustainable Tallahassee will continue our long-standing partnership with the Chain of Parks Art Festival during its annual two-day outdoor arts and culture festival on April 26 and 27. The Festival—which is one of the largest art festivals in the nation—is celebrating its 25th anniversary this April, and Sustainable Tallahassee is proud to play a key role in greening this event each year. At the festival, our Rags2Bags committee will distribute free reusable bags, made entirely out of donated quilt and fabric scraps, to event-goers to help minimize single-use plastic waste. The Rags2Bags committee is proud to divert over 1,000 pounds of fabric from the landfill every year, and every bag comes with an informational pamphlet about the benefits of reducing single-use plastic consumption. These bags can be used beyond the Chain of Parks Festival for your next grocery run or beach trip. Moreover, our EV Club will be in attendance as well, and they will promote electric vehicles and other forms of sustainable transportation. Dozens of electric vehicles and e-bikes will be on display on Gadsden Street in front of the LeMoyne Arts Center.
Our organization will also judge the Recycled Content Award, which recognizes environmentally conscious art. The winner of this award is determined by their creative process, use of reusable items, and ability to think outside of the box in terms of sustainability. They will receive a $500 cash prize from Sustainable Tallahassee for their outstanding contribution. Beyond the art contest, we help promote sustainability at this annual festival in other ways. We will table on both days of Chain of Parks to educate the Tallahassee community on green consumer practices and sustainability. Our organization ensures that the VIP section of the festival is fully green—VIP guests use reusable plates and silverware and all food scraps will be composted. We can’t wait to participate in the Chain of Parks Festival and see the work of impressive local and regional artists. The festival is a great chance for students and families to engage with local art and enjoy the spring weather. While you’re there, be sure to visit our table and get a reusable bag!
Sustainable Tallahassee plays an important role in local green event planning. We promote everyday sustainability in any way we can, and intentional event planning is one way that you can make a positive impact on our environment, too. We know that it can be challenging to minimize waste, encourage sustainable transportation, provide accessible recycling options, and more at large events. Particularly for events that involve food, it can be easy to turn to plastic plates, cups, and utensils for ease of use and it is difficult to minimize food waste. However, unsustainable event practices have detrimental effects on our environment—this contributes to the growing issue of plastic pollution and high rates of food waste in the United States. Don’t worry—we are here to help. If you or your organization or business is interested in ways to promote sustainability for an upcoming conference, gathering, festival, fair, or other event, reach out to Sustainable Tallahassee today and we can provide assistance or a partnership.
Board members of our organization will be present on both days of the festival, but we can use your help, too! We are looking for volunteers to table on both days of the festival. Volunteers don’t have to be members of Sustainable Tallahassee—we also welcome community members who are passionate about sustainability and conservation practices. This tabling opportunity is a chance to hang out with our team and foster conversations about environmental and climate issues. Students can receive community service hours for tabling with us. If you are interested in volunteering with Sustainable Tallahassee at the Chain of Parks Festival, please sign up here or reach out to admin@sustainabletallahassee.org
