watershed/ environmental festival

hi all. i just wanted to float this out there to see what your thoughts on this might be. several years ago, i helped organize a watershed festival out at konza and at the ashland bottoms community center (on the way to konza). we had several speakers (dan wildcat, jim and bonnie lynn sherow, rex buchanon, walter dodds, keith gido, etc.) talk about the river...from various perspectives...historical, cultural, ethical, scientific, etc. we had a prairie, wildflower and watershed hikes, exhibits, etc. we also had a few folk musicians play, and did a tour of the watershed and foodshed by bike. it was all a lot of fun, and a great experience. it was also a great deal of work and planning too. i would say we had a small to moderate turnout.

i really think there is a great opportunity with a group like SEA to put together a local festival that celebrates all of the diverse beauty we believe in or dream about for our world. i don't think there is any better place to start than building some support and understanding for such ideas in your local community...and what better way to celebrate than with a local festival. i think such a festival could take on many forms, but it would require a strong committment too...and i know many of you have very busy schedules...with all of the wonderful things you are trying to do. if a festival was to do something celebrating the watershed where we live, i am sure that i could get two years of grant $$ to get things rolling (probably 3-5 K). this could be combined with local foods, recycling, composting, music, speakers, history, alternative energy...the list goes on and on...

anyway, here is a website of the event that i helped plan several years ago.... www.surfmanhattan.net/larf. this is just a small example of what can be accomplished. with a group full of fanatastic minds like those in SEA, who knows what is possible??

thanks for pondering this possibility. i'll be curious about your thoughts~ jeff