living Off The Grid: Sustainable Living & Eco-Friendly Festivals

One may not realize how many festivals there are that have to do with sustainable and eco-friendly living. I can almost guarantee that there is some sort of event or festival that takes place in your area (or close to it).

These festivals span all across the United States, as well as in other countries. You name it and there’s likely a festival that exists in its honor. Today I’m going to share 5 different festivals worth looking into.

  1. The Tiny House Festival – This particular festival takes place in Florida, but it isn’t the only one. This 3-day event is full of workshops, presentations, and demonstrations. There is also music, live entertainment, vendors, food, vintage campers and more. Learn how they’re made and how a tiny house is a huge step towards frugal living. Ticket prices range from $20-$35 and kids under 12 enter for free.
  2. The Hope Mountain Barter Fair – This is a 3-day celebration of culture and creative energy and influence that is normally held June 17-19th. There are barter and trade booths, live music, food, and workshops. All of the proceeds from this event go toward The Dome School in Cave Junction, Oregon.
  3. NYC Honey Fest – One of my favorites! Every year in Far Rockaway, New York, there is an event that lasts, unfortunately, for only one day -- but it’s incredible. This festival is a celebration for the honeybees that actually live within the Five Boroughs of New York. There is food, art, and education in many forms, and you can observe hives, watch demonstrations, learn about beekeeping, and taste all sorts of liquid gold.
  4. Green Homes Festival – In St. Louis, Missouri, you can attend the yearly Green Homes Festival, which is dedicated to green homes, green energy, and green living. There are many DIY demonstrations, presentations, and loads of information on becoming more eco-friendly. This event is usually held at the Missouri Botanical Garden or The Butterfly House, which is a bonus because it is held in early June so there are many flowers in bloom. You can learn about composting, living green, and how to make the transitions.
  5. The Energy Fair – The energy fair is all about clean energy and sustainable living. It is held in Custer, Wisconsin, in early June. There are well over 200 workshops covering renewable energy, energy efficiency, renewable resources, and sustainable living.

Do not be bummed out if you don’t see any events in your area –  as I mentioned before there are many of them all over the entire world. All you have to do is look!  If you do a search on Homesteading Festivals you’re bound to find one or a few somewhere in your area.

Festivals and events are really great ways to experience and learn. Aside from festivals there are still several different places like The Pioneer Farm Museum & Ohop Indian Village  that provide tour guides and hands-on experience with the 1800s lifestyle. Festivals are a fun way to learn and they allow a way to have the whole family involved. For those of you out there that homeschool or un-school your little ones, these festivals and events make amazing field trips and projects.

It is very difficult for me to leave you with only 5 festivals out of so many, so here’s a few more that you can look into yourself:

Organic Fest: California

Organic Beer Fest (for those of you of age)

Holistic Festival of Life

Mushroom Fest

Educating yourself on how to make less of a negative impact on the environment and more of a positive impact is important. With climate change, global warming, oil spills, and all of the other negative environmental impacts out there it is crucial that we all reach out and try to become more aware and nature conscious. It is imperative that we stand up for our water, air, earth, and all of its creatures. The more we change toward eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyles the more healing our great Mother Earth can do. So…..why not learn and experience in a fun way and include your family and friends. Who says learning has to be by the textbook?