Whole Earth Festival 2015 - Davis

The Whole Earth Festival (WEF) began in 1969 when an art class taught by Jose Arguelles held an “Art Happening” on the University of California, Davis campus. The students used art to teach visitors about activism, wellness and the environment in an interactive and creative way. The Art Happening created an educational process that dared to transcend the typical system of standardized tests and impersonal lectures, promoting instead a culture of cooperative and participative learning.

Following the United Nations’ declaration of “Earth Day” in 1970, the second “Art Happening” (1971) was renamed “Whole Earth.” Later, Whole Earth Festival was sponsored by the Associated Student’s Experimental College and is today a self-sufficient unit of ASUCD. The festival has evolved over four decades into an enormous zero waste event promoting an eco-friendly spirit occurring every Mothers’ Day Weekend.

The sustainability efforts of the festival are always highly successful. Whole Earth Festival is a zero waste event. If you are unsure of what to put in recycling, landfill, and compost bins, don’t fret! There will be signs making it abundantly clear. Along with dedicated staff members, Whole Earth Festival is run by hardworking volunteers. These volunteers make up the Karma Patrol and ensure that the festival runs smoothly. If you are interested in learning more about being a volunteer click here.

A multitude of people dedicated to sustainable living and environmental harmony flock to Davis for the festival. The quad area is lined with arts & crafts tents, music acts, massage tables, food and a child care area. Various workshops occur throughout the weekend as well. The festival strives to promote environmental awareness and activism. Whole Earth Festival aims to ignite passion, propel creativity, and leave visitors with inspiration.

Event highlights

Typical highlights include:
3 stages with 45 bands + 20 dance acts
50+ education and sustainability workshops
100+ craft and art vendors
Speaker presentations and The Bloom Series screening
Many food vendors selling yummy vegetarian food
Fire dancing at night at Promethean Fire Stage
Group yoga and meditation sessions
Outdoor art gallery with installations
Great vibes, great people, great weekend!

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“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”
~ J.J.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

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“I'm planting a tree to teach me to gather strength from my deepest roots.”
~ Andrea Koehle Jones, The Wish Trees

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