The Living Lightly Fair 2016
By Suzanne Clem, Living Lightly Committee
Have you noticed that if you don't like spending a lot of money to have fun, it's a great time to be in Muncie?
The ever-growing list of free summer events makes this paragraph really long. Foodie Fridays at Canan Commons; First Thursday gallery openings; Arts Walk; Moonlight Movies; the Muncie Three Trails Music Series, After Hours Art Reels, America's Hometown Band concerts; hikes at the Red-Tail Land Conservancy; Charles W. Brown Planetarium programs on the BSU campus; food demos and samplings at the Farmers Market at Minnetrista, and so many more—all providing flavorful, colorful, and cultural experiences for exactly zero dollars.
Planners of the 10th annual Living Lightly Fair, taking place September 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Minnetrista, are excited to add to the mix of ways you can enjoy our community without breaking the bank.
Living Lightly is an annual celebration of resources for sustainable lifestyles. This year's fair features engaging speakers; interactive kids' activities; live music; a marketplace of green vendors; canning demos; the opportunity to test drive a hybrid car; the chance to add a piece to a community bottle cap mural, and an expired medication drop-off.
Hear featured speaker Madi Vorva describe her eight-year campaign to persuade the Girl Scouts of America to use responsibly sourced oil in their cookies, the first girl-initiated policy change in the organization’s 101-year history. Learn how to start your own bee hive, document a monarch butterfly garden, or install a few solar panels at your home. Ask two local legislators about what communities can do to make a greener state. View The Greening of Middletown, a student-produced film, and learn about climate change. Step into civil rights history on the MLK Freedom Bus, and join in on a community book discussion (see the book selections at livinglightlyfair.org), and clear your mind with a free yoga session.
Young fairgoers can read a used book to a shelter pet (and take the book home afterward), create an upcycled herb planter, or sculpt a clay bird with the Ball State Clay Guild.
Favorite regional singer Jake Hendershot and the Vintage Reserves will take the music stage from noon to 1 p.m., while Tim Grimm and the Family Band will deliver folk and bluegrass tunes from 3 to 4 p.m.
While all this is free, be prepared to actually save money in the long run, by walking away with tips on how to reduce your electric or gas bills, increase the output of your garden, or even breathe repurposed life into defunct household items.
Do bring your wallet if you'd like to grab an eco-conscious bite from Payne's Restaurant, or AWAKEN Afghan cuisine, or to scope out the 40+ green marketplace vendors for home or gift purchases.
What's your favorite no- or low-cost activity in Muncie?
