ANN ARBOR – Ann Arbor Summer Festival has partnered with Toyota to launch its Festival Footprint Initiative to help reduce the festival's impact on the environment and create awareness through arts and education.
Each year, the three-week festival is attended by 80,000 people. With Top of the Park set outside in a natural environment, A2SF hopes to become a zero-waste event over the next three to five years.
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A2SF is already making efforts to meet that goal, like putting up signs throughout the grounds about removing waste responsibly. It has also introduced compostable corn-based cups.
In addition, the festival partners with food vendors that use recycled and compostable products, and urges its patrons to ride-share or walk or bike to the event, if possible, to promote zero-waste transportation.
(Credit: Ann Arbor Summer Festival © Myra Klarman Photography.com)
"Toyota continues to be a key partner of the festival, encouraging and supporting unique programming that stimulates social impact," A2SF executive director Mike Michelon said in a press release. "We're grateful for this opportunity to host community conversations around an issue that has such far-reaching impact.
"This funding allows us to partner with well-respected organizations, the Huron River Watershed Council and the Ecology Center, to find new ways of approaching the issues facing our community while laying the groundwork for our own zero-waste implementation."
"At Toyota, we are working hard to address environmental issues facing the global community," Kevin Butt, regional environmental director for Toyota Motor North America, said in a press release. "While it’s important to engage in conversations throughout the festival this year and share ideas that help reduce our carbon footprint, it’s critical that we commit to actions that will have an immediate impact on communities throughout Michigan."
According to the press release, Festival Footprint environmental programming highlights include:
- June 12, 5:30 p.m.
- "Detroit Artist Juan Martinez will bring his Pedal Powered Kinetic Sculptures 'Made in Detroit' to Top of the Park. Martinez recycles bicycle parts to create rideable animals, such as life-sized bison and rhinoceros, that surprise and delight. Martinez will also hold a mask-making workshop in the Annex."
- June 19, 5:30 p.m.
- "The Ecology Center will host a fun, interactive game show workshop. A zany host will guide three contestants through the veritable minefield of possible toxic products, such as children's toys and infant car seats, while they learn about everyday items we take for granted."
- June 26, 5:30 p.m.
- "This long table discussion on waste reduction will foster meaningful discussions between civic-minded Ann Arborites. Join Adam C. Simon, University of Michigan Associate Professor from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Toyota Motor North America Director, Kevin Webber, Ann Arbor Summer Festival Executive Director Mike Michelon, Huron River Watershed Council Executive Director Laura Rubin, Ecology Center Executive Director Michael Garfield, Director, Michigan Sustainability Cases, open access on Gala, Rebecca Hardin, and sculptor Juan Martinez."
About Ann Arbor Summer Festival
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is one of the largest public arts gatherings in the state of Michigan, attracting an estimated 80,000 people to the campus of University of Michigan and downtown Ann Arbor over three and a half weeks. The estimated economic impact of the festival is $3.5 million annually.
The outdoor program, Top of the Park, is held along a beautiful campus green and offers admission-free concerts, Movies by Moonlight, open-air street spectacle, local culinary eateries and unique family attractions.
For more information, visit the festival website at www.a2sf.org.
Related reading:
A chat with Ann Arbor Summer Festival's Mike Michelon
Ann Arbor Summer Festival announces 2018 Mainstage lineup
Ann Arbor Summer Festival announces 2018 Top of the Park lineup