The Great Peninsula Future Festival, August 1-2, 2009, in historic Port Gamble, was conceived as a fun way to involve the whole community in thinking about sustainability and how our lifestyle choices affect the future health of our communities, our economy and our environment.

The festival grew out of a 2007 conference on sustainability, involving some 60 Kitsap community leaders.  Sponsored by West Sound Conservation Council and led by Rep. Larry Seaquist (Gig Harbor), the brainstorming workshop involved area mayors, legislators, county commissioners and leaders from many Kitsap community organizations.

“Interest was so high, I decided we needed a way to keep the conversation going and involve the rest of the community,” said Kitsap County Commissioner Steve Bauer.  “I invited other Kitsap community leaders to join me in organizing an annual festival with sustainability as its theme.  The response was amazing.  Dozens of community leaders volunteered.”

“Our goal is to bring citizens together with community leaders, public officials, environmental educators and green entrepreneurs in a festival atmosphere,” explained Bauer.  “Our vision was to get people to come for the fun and leave realizing we all need to do our part to create a sustainable future.”

Last year’s Great Peninsula Future Festival drew some 5,000 attendees and hosted 110 green exhibits.  It featured such speakers as Congressman Jay Inslee, State Senator Phil Rockefeller, State Representative Larry Seaquist, Kathy Fletcher of People for Puget Sound and authorities on a variety of related topics, including alternative energy, sustainable gardening, buy local campaigns and sustainable business practices.

The biggest attraction, however, was the headline entertainment.  This year’s festival will once again feature the popular New Old Time Chautauqua, a vaudeville troupe offering live music, magic shows, topical humor, acrobatics, jugglers and colorful parades.  The two-day festival will also feature other live bands and entertainers.

The festival will host scores of green exhibits, hand-made crafts by local artists, delicious food, informative speakers and practical workshops on such topics as alternative energy, beekeeping, weaving, sustainable gardening,” buy local” opportunities and heritage trees.  There will also be a trash art contest and science fair open to all ages.  The festival will offer lots of fun stuff for kids, including FIN, a walk-in mobile salmon.

Major sponsors for the nonprofit event are:

Wet Apple Media, publishers of West Sound Home & Garden Magizine and the Kitsap Business Journal
The Kitsap Sun
Kitsap County Commissioner Steve Bauer
Port Madison Enterprises/Suquamish Clearwater Casino
Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe
Puget Sound Energy

Other Area Sponsors, Event Sponsors and Friends of the Festival are Kitsap Bank, Port Gamble (Olympic Property Group), Port of Bremerton/Kitsap SEED, Embarq, Kitsap Commissioner Josh Brown, Kitsap County Parks & Recreation, West Sound Utility District, Stillwaters Environmental Education Center, Kitsap Audubon Society, WSU-Kitsap Extension, Pollen Collection & Sales, Poulsbo-North Kitsap Rotary Club and the Kitsap Peninsula Visitor & Convention Bureau.

Festival hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 1st; 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 2nd.  Admission is $7.00 for adults.  Children 12 and under are free.  Military and Youth 13 to 18 - $5.00.  Parking is free.

If you would like to participate as a sponsor, exhibitor, vendor or volunteer visit the Great Peninsula Future Festival website www.GreatPeninsulaFutureFestival.org, call 425-788-7496 or write to GPFF, PO Box 935, Poulsbo WA 98370.