For over a year and a half, Clay Jernigan, concert chair for the University of Louisville Student Activities Board, and his team have been planning and organizing Ecochella Music Festival. Describing the festival, Jernigan says, “Nothing like this has ever been done before on UofL’s campus.”
Those are big words for the 217-year-old university. Though, Ecochella, which got its name from a similar event at UCLA, will be a unique experience for all that attend. The free event is open to the public and takes place on Thursday, March 5th at George J. Howe Red Barn on UofL’s campus.
Benjamin Leamon, a UofL SAB Liasion, said, “The core of this idea came from wanting to connect things that people enjoy (in this case, music and community) with a message, so that we could help people think a little differently about what sustainability can mean in their own lives.”
The three main parts of this event include music, speakers and a sustainability fair, each of which is represented by some of the best in the city.
The musical lineup features the Louisville Crashers, The Deloreans, and Appalatin.
The speakers are representative of the finest eco-friendly organizations Louisville has to offer. They include:
John Krueger, co-founder of Falls City Community BikeWorks. BikeWorks is a communal space where people learn how to fix their existing bikes or assemble new bikes out of old parts. The bicycles are either sold to fund the operation or donated to people who do not have access to transportation.
Dale Douthat, director of the Habitat for Humanity ReStore of Metro Louisville. The organization repurposes donated furniture and appliances, giving new life to old items and keep waste out of the landfill.
Carmen Black, the regional coordinator for the Real Food Challenge. The campaign works with college students to research and evaluate university food purchasing habits. RFC helps universities change their food purchasing policies, with the goal of 20% real food (defined as being fair, humane, ecologically sound, and local/community-based) by 2020.
There will also be a sustainability fair with over a dozen student and community organizations.
The event begins at 3 p.m. and the sustainability fair and music begins at 6 p.m. Speakers will take the stage during the changeover between bands.
Fore more information, follow @EcochellaFest.
Photo courtesy of The Louisville Cardinal.
