SustainFloyd and Apple Ridge Farm are proud to announce their third annual Floyd Energy Fest! It will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2019 from 9:00am to 4:00pm at beautiful Chantilly Farm in Floyd County. The all-day event will feature speakers, exhibits, demonstrations, workshops, local food, a Kid Zone activities tent, and much more.
Part of the event will be outside under festival tents while other exhibits will be set up inside the Chantilly barn. The Floyd Energy Fest will be held rain or shine. To help offset event expenses, there will be a small admission fee of $5.00 per person, or $10.00 if you bring the whole family. The Fest provides a fun and interactive educational opportunity for the general public, covering a wide variety of energy related topics, issues, products and services.
Through exhibits, presentations, tours, and new workshops, we will showcase the importance of energy conservation, efficiency, solar and wind power, sustainable agriculture, and much more! Over twenty-five vendors and exhibitors are expected this year. Not only will they be showcasing products, services, and ideas, but they will also be available to answer questions and engage in dialogue.
There will also be a full day of presentations that will feature local and regional speakers on a variety of topics and issues from green building to climate change and more! These sessions have been standing room only in the past, and offer a unique opportunity for attendees to come early and spend the day taking part in these very important seminars.
The Fest is also planning separate workshops on building science, renewable energy, and electric cars. There will be a new Tesla on display, along with other electric vehicles and electric bicycles. SustainFloyd will have their famous solar-powered Voltzwagon on display, which will be providing solar powered electricity to the presentation area. This is a great opportunity to see clean and renewable energy at work.
The Fest is proud of their Kid Zone area, managed by Apple Ridge Farm. Kid Zone will provide kids and students of all ages with arts and crafts, energy projects, and much more during the event.
Apple Ridge Farm will also offer tours throughout the day so guests may experience their Ebase USA: Blue Ridge. This is an off-grid solar and wind powered classroom, housed in a 1917 boxcar donated by the National Railway Historical Society. As this special classroom is located on the grounds of Apple Ridge Farm in Copper Hill, a shuttle will be provided for transport.
Both Apple Ridge Farm and SustainFloyd believe that a better-educated general population is the solution to a more secure, independent, clean, healthy, and sustainable energy future. People have the collective power to make better and smarter decisions in their home, business, and lifestyle that will save money, save energy, and help to preserve the environment.
The Fest has also sponsored a poster competition with students from the Virginia Tech Industrial Design Program. These posters will discuss new and innovative ideas, as well as products related to energy conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy. The top ten posters from the competition will be on display at the Fest.
Plenty! will be set up inside the barn, serving delicious, locally-grown food for snacks and lunch. They will also be serving fresh and locally-brewed coffee from Floyd’s own Red Rooster Coffee. Areas for sitting and relaxing with food and beverages will be provided.
This year’s event planners want to inspire people with interactive exhibits and inform people with effective and expert information. They want everyone to go home more aware and better able to make decisions and purchases that can change their lives and the lives of others.
Located at 2697 Franklin Pike SE, in Floyd, Chantilly Farm is a scenic outdoor/indoor event venue tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. For more information, visit www.chantillyfarm.com. Apple Ridge Farm is a 501©3 non-profit organization that offers a variety of activities and programs which transform the lives of our community’s underserved children and families through educational, cultural, and outdoor experiences.
For more information, visit www.appleridge.org. SustainFloyd is a 501©3 non-profit organization in the Blue Ridge Mountains that undertakes projects and programs to support the environment, agriculture, and renewable energy. For more information, visit www.sustainfloyd.org.
For more information about the event, you can email info@sustainfloyd.org. You may also call Alison Wroblewski at 540-745-7333. You can also email Inge Terrill with Apple Ridge Farm at idterrill@gmail.com, or Billy Weitzenfeld at aecp@swva.net. For more updates and information follow SustainFloyd at www.facebook.com/sustainfloyd.
Photos by Hallie Weitzenfeld