The festival frees the spirit so that people can express themselves in dance, art and camaraderie. (Daniel Ng/2001 Whole Earth Festival archival photo)
Is this just for hippies? Not really…
You might be thinking to yourself, “What is there to do at the Whole Earth Festival? Isn’t it just for hippies?”
You might be surprised.
Well first off, festival organizers say the event is for anybody open to preserving the environment, learning something new, challenging a pre-existing way of thinking and having some plain-old fun.
“There just happens to be a bunch of hippies because this is the one weekend where it’s cool to be one,” says Bessie Chu, a senior majoring in International Relations and Asian American Studies.
This brings us back to the original question: What is there to do at the Whole Earth Festival? Plenty. You just have to open your eyes, look around and release your inhibitions.
‘There just happens to be a bunch of hippies because this is the one weekend where it’s cool to be one…’
Bessie Chu, senior majoring in international relations and Asian American studies
A totally different world
Daniel Ng, a staff member in the Department of Viticulture and Enology and festival volunteer, says his favorite thing about the festival is “being on the middle of the UC Davis Quad and realizing that you’re in a totally different world than before when you were on the Quad a few days ago….
“I love to see familiar faces that are current UCDers, but in a different context than I’m used to seeing them, such as that aloof TA who is now dancing at one of the stages or that quiet student who is now performing on the Soular Dance Stage.”
Festival Co-director Lindi Houser enjoys how the event brings together so many eclectic individuals to the event. “It is truly amazing [to see] people from all walks of life who are connected on a single path,“ says Houser.
Chu, on the other hand, appreciates the festival’s exclusiveness, especially since it happens only once a year, and you can only find it at UC Davis. “It has a very spiritual atmosphere,” she adds, “and the lingering smells pretty much sum up the whole experience.”
Knowledge is power
Workshops, speakers and performances at the Dynamic Education Station and Experiential Space address topics such as art, spirituality and environmental and political activism. For example, you could learn how to make your own compost and produce less waste in your own home.
If you’re looking for other ways to live a more Earth-friendly lifestyle, be sure to look into some of the talks. The “Building the Green Economy” lecture with Kevin Danaher will be held at the Memorial Union Coffee House at 7 p.m. on Friday, and the “Sustainable Transportation Imagineering” discussion will be held at the MU South Patio 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
If you’d like to lighten your mood at the end of the day, stop by the Play Space to goof around with different gadgets. Staff will be on hand to show you the way.