The Whole Earth Festival invites you to paint your face and commune with 30,000 of your fellow festival-goers. (Daniel Ng/1988 Whole Earth Festival archival photo)
Immerse yourself in UC Davis’ organic salute to spring
This year, the Whole Earth Festival promises to challenge your thinking about how you can “feel whole with the Earth.”
The 39-year-old celebration is a zero-waste event that features live entertainment, great food, arts and crafts, and educational workshops. Each year, 400 volunteers help promote social and environmental awareness, as well as strengthen community ties.
The celebration started in 1969 as an “art happening” led by Jose Arguelles, who taught an art class that provided an alternative medium for education.
Since then, it has evolved into a weekend of “green” fun. The festival now attracts about 30,000 people who come to celebrate the Mother’s Day weekend and spend time with family and friends. This year’s theme is “Mending Our Web.”
Because this is my first time to experience the festival, I surveyed experienced participants to figure out how to make the most out of this year’s event. Hopefully, I’ll see you folks out there with the rest of the tie-dye-clad baby boomers.
The festival low-down
ON THE HOME PAGE: Festival participants from the past enjoy the celebration. Organizers say the event is for anybody open to preserving the environment, learning something new and challenging their pre-existing way of thinking. (Daniel Ng/Whole Earth Festival archival photo)
- Advice on how to ‘do the festival’
On location, hours, transportation and weather
- Is this just for hippies? Not really…
Attractions that will entertain the range of visitors
- Veggie corn dogs, good bands and crafts
Fabulous food, dancing, music and art galore
- Zero waste in this place
About recycling, vendor plans and dishware fees