“The Sunday Share & Reskilling Festival” (Permaculture + Transition). Recipe by Willi Paul, CommunityAlchemy.com

Remember, the more resources we offer to our community, the more we will inspire others to offer what they have to us. Together, we have more than enough for all of us to live truly rich and abundant lives. As a culture, we just need to learn to share more fully - kindista.org

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Vision:

The Sunday Share & Reskilling Festival is a not a religious service or a sports competition but a community sharing and networking event that shares stories, skills, food and donations at your local high school sports stadium. By design, the event teaches us to re-purpose material goods and values.

Reskilling is a movement that is developing new skills – and championing older skills - for individuals, families and community resilience including:

+ Bread making
+ Jam and marmalade making
+ Hugelkultur berm building
+ Sheet mulching
+ Pasta making
+ Winter squash party
+ Bike repair

What to share at the Festival:

+ Garden vegetables
+ Flowers
+ Seedlings
+ Seeds
+ Arts and crafts supplies
+ Decor for the season
+ Books and magazines in good condition
+ Unbroken children’s toys
+ Old clothes in good condition (no stains or tears)
+ Homemade jams/jellies/honey
+ Homegrown eggs
+ Fresh herbs
+ Fruit
+ Gardening tools
+ Shoes in good condition

Festival Design Elements:

I. Local high school sports stadium:

a. Track

+ Solo running games
+ Small group games

b. Playing Field

+ Group discussions
+ Theatre, group games
+ Music concerts

c. Bleachers

+ Gathering spaces and temporary storage
+ Child care
+ Mediation and small group storytelling

d. Parking lot

+ Food trucks and larger demonstrations
+ First aid
+ Compostable toilets
+ Donations – facilitated by NPOs

e. A/V Booth

+ Event management

II. Boundary lands –

+ Garden / Plant Sales and Demos

+ Soap Box Circle - Individuals can address the Festival on any topic or concern of their choosing

+ Town Governance Forum - Open discussion with government officials about municipal budget and visions for the future

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Conclusions:

The Sunday Share & Reskilling Festival is a return to the commons to build community resilience; an antennae to both the past and the future. Permaculture ethics support the event:

1. Care for the Earth
2. Care for People
3. Return the Surplus

Transition values are also present including localization of community resources, sharing, and re-skilling. The Festival is inclusive by design and implementation. Multiple civic organizations like the Lions Club, Salvation Army, and school groups are there to tell their stories and advance the sharing and teaching agenda. The Festival, driven by community ideas and care, is easy to advertise, set-up and run by a small organizing crew. Your high school sports stadium is owned by the people and can be booked as time and insurance permits.

Thanks to my Friends at Transition Palo Alto - Share Faire!