Family friendly festival highlights a sustainable future

Cloughjordan is to host a celebration of local community, health and environmental living this Saturday, the 29th of June. The ‘Elements of Change’ festival is being held from 10.30am to 6pm on and around the new community amphitheatre in Cloughjordan Ecovillage.
 
The day features talks, music, children's activities, food and craft stalls, workshop tents, field games and activities for all the family to enjoy and learn from.
 
Organised by Cultivate, the NGO based in Cloughjordan who have co-ordinated the Global Green area at the Electric Picnic festival for the last 10 years, many local people as well as national organisations are involved in providing the entertainment, workshops and activities.
 
Speakers include English author Rob Hopkins, the co-founder of the Transition Towns movement, who will introduce his new book on imagination from ‘What is To What If’. Lorna Gold, the author of ‘Climate Generation: Awakening to Our Children’s Future’, will host a workshop on ways to build hope and resilience. Mark Boyle will be discussing his recently published book, ‘The Way Home: Tales from a Life Without Technology'.
 
There will be music and performance throughout the day including Maggie McEntee (Nicantsaoi), a Cloughjordan-based folk singer-songwriter, and Weave, a local band inspired by American folk and blues. Mel White, a multi award winning spoken word artist based in County Clare; Kiruu, a multi-instrumentalist and singer from Dublin, and many others will be performing on the amphitheatre.
 
Workshops topics range from living foods, community supported agriculture, natural crafts, foraging, and seed saving to yoga, mindfulness, creativity and dance. Tipperary Energy Agency, GLAS Energy and DaysE (Donate as you save Energy) will be highlighting opportunities for home improvements and community power while demonstrating the potential of solar energy.
 
“This festival celebrates sustainability and community beyond the traditional elements needed like food and energy, and recognises that we need to sustain ourselves through a sense of community, wellbeing and shared values so that we can affect change together” - Aaron Bailey, Elements of Change festival coordinator
 
Tickets for this unique programme of events showcasing the elements of a sustainable future are only €12; under 16s are free. More details can be found at www.cultivate.ie