By Anya Kaats
The 35th Crestone Energy
Fair (CEF) arrives Sept. 14-15 in
downtown Crestone and promises
to be one of the event’s best
years yet.
CEF has remained a pillar of
Crestone’s commitment to natural
and regenerative building and
living. It is one of the longest-running
sustainability festivals in the
nation.
“Rooting Forward” is this
year’s theme, highlighting CEF’s
commitment to finding common
ground, reaching across the aisle
and growing strong roots in order
to move forward as a grounded,
unified collective.
In honor of this year’s theme,
the CEF crew has prioritized
speakers and presenters who
represent different perspectives
within the Crestone community
(and beyond) from the past,
present, and future. Goals for
2024 include retaining and honoring
intergenerational history,
cultivating a communal sense
of belonging, respecting elders,
integrating new generations and
holding space for leadership
transitions and successions.
a Rooting Forward Panel, are
planned. This panel will be a
community conversation exploring
the evolution of governance,
politics, and volunteerism in a
frontier community, and the importance
of working to preserve
and protect its environmental
and cultural ethos. Hosted by
CEF’s director, Lisa Bodey, the
panel includes Kizzen Laki,
Adam Kinney, LeRoy West, Peter
Anderson and Anya Kaats. The
Rooting Forward panel is scheduled
for 10:15 a.m., Saturday, on
the Main Stage, following the
event’s Opening Ceremony at
9:30 a.m. Arrive early to hear this
dialogue.
There will also be a Natural
Building Panel hosted by Brett
Buchanan, featuring Tim White,
Lloyd Kahn, Adam Fries, Eric
Finicus and “Aircrete” Harry. An
Alternative Energy Panel hosted
by Mark Jacobi will feature Chris
Canaly and renewable energy
planners. A Wellness Panel hosted
by Dr. Kim Engard will feature
John P. Milton, Elzabieta Kosmicki,
Tai Chi Bill Smith, Signa
Cheney and Sharron Rose.
Headline presenters include
Lloyd Kahn, author, builder
and green architecture pioneer,
named “King of D.I.Y. Dwellings”
by The New York Times. Other
presenters include former Shelter
editor of the Whole Earth Catalog,
Tim White, president of Texas
Healthy Homes and a pioneering
leader in the sustainable building
industry and George Whitten
of Blue Range Ranch. Additional
speakers include Tylor Berreth
of Alpine Valley Mushrooms, Allison
Wonderland and Cristina
Cabeza representing the Work
that Reconnects, and a Q&A with
Matt and Pete Van Horn of Owner
Builders Unite.
CEF attendees can also participate
in hands-on building
demonstrations including cobb,
hempcrete, papercrete, pounding
tires, bottle bricks, clay plasters
and rammed earth at the permanent
Demonstration Shed. There
will also be a robust Wellness Village
featuring yoga classes, contact
improvisation and more.
A pancake breakfast, benefitting
ScSEED, is at 9 a.m., Sept.15
by the food vendors. Also on
Sunday, A Freebox Fashion Show
parade will make its way through
the event beginning at the popup
Freebox, ending at the Main
Stage.
CEF is also partnering with
Dune Valley Distillery, in Mosca,
and Valley Roots Food Hub
to host a Fall Gala to benefit CEF
on Oct. 12. Tickets are on sale at
www.crestonenergyfair.org.
To view the full lineup and
schedule of events, visit www.
crestoneenergyfai r.org/of f i –
cial-schedule-line-up.