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Solar flair
By BRENT CURTIS Staff Writer POULTNEY — There was
something new under the sun Saturday as SolarFest came down from the hills for
the first time. The ninth edition of the
annual solar-powered music festival and alternative energy trade show got under
way Saturday on the campus and playing fields of The change didn’t seem to
matter to most people, who said that as long as the sun was shining they were
having a good time. “I think it’s a great
setup,” David Aceto said Saturday as he wandered by the information booth at
the two-day event. “Being on the farm gave it more of an ambience, but here
you can have a lot more.” Aceto, a resident of Aceto’s assessment of the
event’s new home summed up organizers’ reasons for moving it, said Kathleen
Colson, SolarFest’s director. “Middletown Springs
isn’t even on most maps,” she said. “This is a bigger setup too, we just
didn’t have the space in Middletown Springs any more.” At On Saturday, more than 100
exhibitors were showing off everything from solar panels and windmills to
composting toilets and bio-diesel hybrid cars on the playing fields behind the
campus. A solar-powered stage was
also set up for musical events, with more than enough room for the crowds to
gather. The festival has 29
performers on two stages, including rock group Black 47, African band Jaka,
Caribbean group Inner Visions and the folk act Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem. Indoor workshops were held
on subjects like using vegetable oil as engine oil, meeting home heating needs
with biomass and producing hot water with solar power. Dormitories were also
available for visitors who didn’t want to camp out. But for all the new
amenities, it remains to be seen how the new surroundings will affect turnout. Last year, 2,500 people came
to Middletown Springs. Forty-five minutes into this year’s event, Colson said
she had no tallies and no predictions for attendance. If the number of vendors
were an accurate gauge, the event could expect more people. The vendors and exhibitors
increased 40 percent this year, Colson said, with many of the newcomers arriving
from Vendor Roy Butler traveled
from “I’m fine with it,” he
said. “There’s an awful lot of shows and people around.” Veteran SolarFest exhibitor
Mark Skinder said he liked the flat open spaces at the college, though he missed
the sylvan setting in Middletown Springs. “The old stomping grounds
was definitely a beautiful spot,” he said. “It was great to be in the hills,
but this is good too.” For visitor Shirley Oskamp
of Middletown Springs, this year’s SolarFest represents the first time she’s
had to leave town to visit the event. But she didn’t mind the drive. “I think this is great, it
allows for more participation,” she said. “It’s also easier to access.” James Malby of Last year, he said, he ran
afoul of a Middletown Springs resident who didn’t like all the traffic on his
normally quiet country road. Malby said his only lament
for the new venue was the segregation of exhibits and workshops. “It was easier before to
stumble into a workshop,” he said. “Last year, walking by the tents you
could hear a great speaker and wander over. Overall, though, it’s a wonderful
event.” SolarFest continues today
from Contact Brent Curtis at
brent.curtis@rutlandherald.com. |