Columbus, Ohio USA
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Community Festival 40
New Peace Village and other news from ComFest Folks
May/June 2012 Issue
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Photo © Alexandra Kelley Fox ComFest celebrates 40 years of building community on June 22, 23 and 24 in Goodale Park. The annual festival, although many times larger than the original event, remains all volunteer and free of corporate sponsorship or city funding. In fact, profits from the festival are plowed back into the community through grants and gifts throughout the year.
The Party with a Purpose emphasizes local, green and peaceful. ComFest’s juried Street Fair is comprised of local artisans and food vendors and community organizations. Stages of rock and roll feature local musicians and performers. This year the west side of Goodale Park will be home to a new Peace Village, including the Solar Stage music, workshops and accredited continuing education classes in green technology, KidsArt with family activities and kid-friendly entertainment, the Healing Arts Zone’s workshops and demonstrations focused on holistic and natural palliatives for body and spirit, and the Peace Tent, a central gathering place for community groups, media contact, networking opportunities, information about local issues and ballot initiatives, and special events. The Peace Village is completely solar powered and committed to green principles, offering daily demonstrations and examples of green living and clean energy alternatives.
Among special guests this year are Holly Near (singer/songwriter and activist for social change) and David Cobb, (Green Party activist, lawyer and political organizer). Both will be presenting workshops as well as performing/speaking. ComFest presents a dozen workshops each day, and another dozen speakers inform and enlighten ComFesters about the many organizations and projects that help build a better community in Columbus and central Ohio. (Of special interest this year: women’s rights and healthcare, issues in the news, in the legislature and on ballots across the country. Check ComFest schedules for women-centered events and look for information about the issue at the Peace Tent.)
The ComFest Program Guide will be available (free) at popular locations in the Short North and online about a week before the festival. It contains schedules of music, workshops and speakers, valuable information to enhance the public’s enjoyment of Community Festival, and a backward glance at the festival’s history and the principles that guide it still.SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER
DAYS OF FESTIVAL: JUNE 22, 23, AND 24
• PROGRAM GUIDE Available one week before festival at popular locations and online - www.comfest.com
• NO BYOB etc. Keep It Legal!
• SAFETY FIRST! Read the few necessary rules and keep ComFest safe and peaceful.
• TAKE COTA OR RIDE YOUR BICYCLE and use ComFest’s FREE and secure bike corral. Avoid traffic snarls and help the neighborhood.
• MOVE AROUND THE FESTIVAL Try to experience something new. Check out Los Escritores (poets). Drop by one of the poetry or comedy shows or practice Tai Chi at the Healing Arts Zone. Look for the onsite sculpture-builders – in the tradition of Navajo (or Tibetan) sandpainting (the art of healing) – these sculptures will be constructed in the Peace Village during the festival and deconstructed at its close on Sunday at 8 pm.
• VOLUNTEER! It takes thousands of hands giving a few hours of time to help the festival run smoothly and keep it truly community.
• HOURS: FRIDAY: 11am to 11pm • SATURDAY: 11 am to 10 pm • SUNDAY: 11 am to 8pm
Visit comfest.com for more information and to volunteer. Happy ComFest 40!
© 2012 Short North Gazette, Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved.
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