Celebrate the Summer Solstice with Locally Grown

by Tyler Suchman on June 10, 2009

Two big music weekends in a row here in Ojai – Music Festival this weekend, and Locally Grown next weekend. Press release from the latter…
Locally Grown concert celebrates summer solstice
As the summer outdoor concert season heats up, Locally Grown, a benefit concert in support of Food For Thought, the Ojai Healthy Schools program, will take place under the stars in Ojai’s Libbey Park on Saturday, June 20th from 5 pm to 10 pm. Tickets range from $20 to $30 for lawn seats, $40 to $50 for reserved seats, to $150 for VIP seats (which includes admission to the after-show festivities) and are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com. “We’re excited to be celebrating the summer solstice, since a big part of our mission is to reconnect people to the natural cycles of the earth by eating seasonal, locally grown produce, ” according to Marty Fujita, President of Food For Thought.


Locally Grown will feature an eclectic mix of musical styles including American roots rock, Mexican-American rhythms, Reggae and Afro-Cuban beats. Headliner Mason Jennings hails from Minnesota and includes Leadbelly, Hank Williams, and Led Zeppelin among his influences. Jennings recently released his 6th album “In the Ever” on laid-back superstar (and 2005 Locally Grown headliner) Jack Johnson’s Brushfire label. Ojai resident and Grammy nominee Perla Batalla will be taking the stage with East Los Angeles Chicano music pioneers Quetzal, and openers Culver City Dub Collective will round out the multicultural groove.
As in years past, proceeds benefit Food for Thought’s farm-to-school program, which educates children about healthy food choices, where their food comes from, and the importance of good environmental stewardship. Food For Thought works with the Ojai Unified School District to support school gardens, farm field trips, nutrition education, and the “Green and Healthy Schools” initiative, which focuses on waste reduction, recycling, and environmental awareness at the elementary school level.
Locally Grown will be a CarbonFund certified “Green Event,” with staff on hand to help concertgoers to minimize their carbon footprint and keep trash production to a minimum, and carbon offset credits purchased to cover estimate greenhouse gas emissions from travel, energy usage and waste generation. According to Javier Moreno, production manager, “we encourage people to ride bikes and walk to the event and will have a valet bike parking area near the entrance. Also, there will be volunteers running ‘Zero Waste’ stations, where glass, plastic and metal can be recycled, and food scraps, napkins and biodegradable tableware can be composted. The food court will feature locally sourced organic, healthful fare, and of course, you can also bring your own picnic.”
“Locally Grown is a family event where people of all ages can listen to some great music, eat some tasty seasonal food, and learn about how to stay connected to the earth and to their community,” says Helen Petroff, Food For Thought’s board Vice President. For more information, go to www.foodforthoughtojai.org.

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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Suza June 16, 2009 at 7:37 am

Lucky me!
One of my students gave me two tickets to this event.
My first outing since the big move!
I’m looking forward to it!!!

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Suza June 16, 2009 at 7:44 am

PS It’s so great to see this:
Locally Grown is a “green” event. We are working hard to minimize our ecological footprint by utilizing clean energy sources, minimizing solid waste, promoting walking, biking or carpooling to the event, featuring locally grown foods and organic cotton merchandise, providing free water refills and purchasing carbon credits for those greenhouse gases that we can’t avoid producing. Please join us in our efforts!
This is a green event, so please walk, ride your bike or carpool, and bring reusable water bottles.

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