Windfall festival a hit with community

June 7, 2014
YorkRegion.ca
Chris Traber

For Newmarket mom Patti Nadrofsky and daughter Natasha, 9, this weekend's 13th annual Windfall Ecology Festival was ideal for catching up on the latest planet friendly products and resources.

It's also a fun way to spend an idyllic late spring day.

Scouting local resources, test driving products and learning about environmental issues drew the pair to the two-day event at Fairy Lake Park in Newmarket. Free to attend, the festival, featuring some 130 vendors and family activities, celebrities and musicians, is York Region’s largest environmental and energy conservation exposition.

"We wanted to look at solar panels and composters, Nadrofsky said. "I'd say we're environmentally conscious. We dry laundry outside and always turn off lights when they're not needed."

Natasha said she always conserves water, turning off the tap when brushing her teeth. Her favourite product at the festival was a solar-powered cellphone charger. She learns about energy conservation from her mom and at school, she said.

"It's all about taking care of things," she said. "It's knowing insects are good, except spiders. I don't like them."

Nadrofsky was impressed with the electric car vendors who offered trial spins.

"I'd certainly consider one as my next car," she said.

She also enjoyed the varied services and wares.

"The festival is well attended and organized," she said. "There's a good cross section of vendors and it's not too commercialized.

"There's also really great lemonade."

Windfall festival director Josh Gottlieb said this year's event is a celebration of sustainable and smart, as in SM4RT living, a reduce, reuse, recycle and recover program in partnership with York Region. Delighted with the high attendance and temperature, this year's festival is possibly Windfall's largest.

"The festival is a showcase of simple actions you can take at home and work toward a greener life," Windfall Centre operations director Jen Atkinson said.

Organizers only considered vendors whose products or services met criteria supporting sustainable living.

Another magnet for many was the all-star line of talent, including Juno nominees The Devin Cuddy Band, TVO's The Water Brothers, who host a travel eco-adventure series, and celebrity chef Bob Blumer, creator and host of the TV series Surreal Gourmet and Glutton for Punishment.

Through more than 200 exhibits, stimulating entertainment, performers and speakers, the festival fosters public awareness about opportunities for environmental change, Gottlieb said. It spurs people to take the initiative in making their homes, businesses and communities more ecologically advanced and environmentally sound, while encouraging meaningful activation and participation.

The event is also a modern and realistic approach to environmental issues, a method to point out the problems, discuss the solutions and to praise the achievements of those who are successfully addressing the issues, Atkinson added.

The festival endeavours to integrate environmentally responsible choices into day to-day lifestyles, she said.

Numerous local organizations, including the York Region Food Network, were on hand with booths and advice.

The event coincided with the inaugural Ontario Food Week, network executive director Joan Stonehocker said.

"It's been busy and we've having great conversations about growing your own food locally, community gardens, composting, health and the environment," she said. "The festival is a wonderful concept. It brings people out to nature and speaks to doing things sustainably."

The festival runs until tomorrow at 5 p.m. For event schedules, visit windfallcentre.ca/festival