Mark your calendars for the CCBC Harvest and Eco Festival on Saturday, September 25th from 1pm – 5pm at "Gourd Palace," CCBC Catonsville.
Centered on the theme "Growing Art; Growing Community," the Harvest and Eco Festival serves as the capstone of a week-long series of presentations and field trips in conjunction with CCBC's Artist-in-Residence program.
As the "Grow Art" activities of the day are designed to provide fun and entertainment, the "Grow Community" will focus on the educational component of the green movement and how to use environmental resources wisely. Exhibits and displays by nature education groups, watershed and parks groups, health and energy resources, to name only a few, will be available.
The festival will also feature live music by artists performing with gourd ukuleles and gourd banjos, as well as interactive children's activities. A "Grow Arts Chalk-In," a street-wide public chalk creation on the theme of plant life and growing, will be created. Gourd Juggling will also be part of the festivities.
The "Gourd Palace" and festival are creations of Baltimore "green arts" artist Doug Retzler, who is CCBC's Art, Design and interactive Media (ADiM) department's first Artist-in-Residence. Retzler, who views himself as a "green arts instigator," envisions the Harvest and Eco Festival at CCBC Catonsville as a way to build awareness of green art and its relevance to the green movement.
"I hope the festival will "grow community" so that more and more people can interact to learn about and become involved in promoting the importance of sustainable programs and projects that are happening all over the metro Baltimore area," says Retzler.
About CCBC (www.ccbcmd.edu)
CCBC offers hundreds of programs and thousands of courses helping people of all ages, backgrounds and interests earn degrees, transfer, launch or advance careers, and prepare for in-demand jobs. Providing accessible, affordable and high quality education since 1957, CCBC educates more than 70,000 students each year, including half of all Baltimore County residents attending college in Maryland as undergraduates. Committed to student success and the development of lifelong learners who strengthen our regional workforce and enrich our community, CCBC has also been selected to participate in Achieving the Dream, a national student success initiative.
Image of Doug Reztler at "Gourd Palace" courtesy of CCBC Media Photos.