The 2011 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival executing one of the most comprehensive environmental programs in the U.S.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – March 29, 2011 – Juried Art. Cuisine. Music. Entertainment. Family. Arts and Crafts. Fun. Green.
GREEN? Yes, folks, you read correctly. The free, 26th annual 2011 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.), taking place April 14-17, 2011, has joined forces with the Tarrant Regional Water District, Green Mountain Energy Company, Waste Management, Inc., The University of Texas at Arlington, the Fort Worth Bicycling Association and Bicycles, Inc. to present one of the most comprehensive environmental programs in the country. Working with these partners enables MAIN ST. to make significant strides in terms of reducing its carbon footprint, including the introduction of even more sustainable initiatives for this year’s festival.
WATER CONSERVATION
The Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), in support of its water conservation efforts, is sponsoring FREE watering stations at this year’s festival. Stay cool and hydrated by bringing your own water bottles and filling them up as needed. Need a bottle? Buy a souvenir aluminum water bottle for eight coupons while you’re there. The water stations feature Fort Worth’s nationally renowned municipal water dispensed through a state-of-the-art U/V filtration system, provided by Event Water Solutions. Using a refillable container is always a good idea. It’s much cheaper than bottled water and it's way better for the environment, plus it takes lots of water to make all that plastic. Find out more about TRWD's water conservation efforts at www.savetarrantwater.com. Remember, “SAVE WATER. Nothing can replace it.”
RECYCLING
In 2010, MAIN ST. recycled more than 75 percent of the bottles and cans left behind at the festival. This year, Waste Management, Inc. is providing the equipment and services to keep over five tons of waste out of our landfills, in addition to providing biodegradable plates, cups and eating utensils. Festival staff will also recycle 100 percent of the oil and grease used to prepare the food. Specially marked containers will be available for attendees to recycle cans and bottles, an endeavor that many of our sponsors support and encourage. Artists and vendors participating in MAIN ST.’s “Go Green!” initiative will be identified with a green thumbprint.
OFFSETTING CARBON EMISSIONS
MAIN ST. is also working to become a 100 percent carbon-neutral event thanks to Green Mountain Energy Company, which is donating 87 metric tons of carbon offsets – enough to offset all of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by this year’s festival. What does 87 metric tons really look like? It has the same environmental impact as:
- 150 houses turning off the lights for one year
- Not driving a car over 200,000 miles
- Recycling a stack of newspaper 6,000 feet high!
Be sure to drop by Green Mountain Energy Company’s booth at 4th and Main Streets to find out more about pollution-free electricity.
TRAVEL GREEN AND BICYCLE CORRAL
“Green up” your travel to and from MAIN ST. by riding the festival shuttle, walking, carpooling, or using pedal power and parking for free in The Bicycle Corral, sponsored by the Fort Worth Bicycling Association and Bicycles, Inc. The Bicycle Corral will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at the parking lot on 4th Street east of the Houston Street intersection. Staffed by cycling enthusiasts, the corral will include security fencing, bike racks for storage, and an ID system to avoid theft.
SOLAR-GENERATED POWER
This year’s festival is also adding solar-generated power to its Green Mountain Energy Company Stage to help reduce its use of carbon fuels. Stop by to see how this entirely carbon-neutral generating system works, because every small step helps!
GREEN ART
The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates the beauty of all art – whether crafted by hand, by tool, by musical instrument or even by the earth itself. Together with the festival’s environmental sponsor, The University of Texas at Arlington, MAIN ST. salutes those artists who use earth-friendly techniques, materials or themes in their work, such as:
- Non-toxic, non-polluting and new methods that are safer and healthier than traditional ones;
- Organic, natural, sustainable, reclaimed and/or recycled materials or fibers;
- Use of solar or other renewable energy sources during production, transportation and/or presentation;
- Use of digital methodologies in creating artwork;
- Applications of ecological themes, including nature, its processes or environmental problems;
- Integration of environmental forces, such as creating artwork affected or powered by wind, water, light, etc.; and,
- Participation in green organizations generally concerned with the issues of art and the environment.
For additional event information or to learn more about MAIN ST.’s green initiatives, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online at www.MainStreetArtsFest.org. Festival information can also be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mainstreetartsfest, on Twitter at @MainStreetArts, or by downloading the free MAIN ST. iPhone application directly from your Apple device or from the iTunes App Store.
ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL
MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 26th year in 2011 and is presented by Coors Light. Official Sponsors for 2011 are CHASE, Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy Company, University of Texas at Arlington, Lincoln, Tarrant Regional Water District, and XTO Energy. Media Sponsors include CBS 11/TXA 21 and D Magazine, as well as radio stations Mix 102.9, 106.1 KISS FM, 95.9 FM The Ranch, and 92.1 KTFW-FM. Supporting Sponsors include Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and Frost Bank.
The festival is produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 organization formed in 1988 to complement the work of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. and the Public Improvement District by provide a funding pathway for charitable, educational and public-purpose activities, such as community festivals, residential development and park management. Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. produces MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and the Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights, which includes lighting ceremonies for the city’s Sundance Square Christmas tree. These events have an economic impact of more than $19 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to downtown Fort Worth each year, creating a sterling celebration of 26 years on MAIN ST. in 2011. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.
