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A vision statement was launched at the 10th annual Organic Okanagan Festival in Kelowna that calls for the entire Okanagan Valley to become 100 per cent organic by the year 2020.
“We hereby declare that we shall transition all of our lawns, gardens, municipal areas, parks, school playgrounds, sports and recreational areas, orchards, vineyards, and farms of all kinds, to certified organic practices celebrating full community participation by the year 2020, with progress reports on creating this world model upon each of the four solstice and equinox dates,” reads the 2020 Vision and Declaration.
The Vision was put forward by Stephen Cipes, the Founder and Proprietor of Summerhill Pyramid Winery, in conjunction with a committee of nine others. Guests at the Organic Okanagan Festival were encouraged to sign it, and signatures will continue to be collected as the Vision and Declaration becomes the focal point of a campaign over the next five years.
The Organic Okanagan Festival has grown tremendously since its inception.
“It started ten years ago as a very tiny grassroots movement,” says co-founder Wendy Wright. “We had, you know, 20 exhibitors, 300 people; and we decided to grow it.”
Now the Festival encompasses more than 40 exhibitors, including multiple organic farms as well as providers of teas, coffees, chocolate and organics-related information.
“It really is the Okanagan’s finest green living expo,” said Wright.
The Festival continues until 4 p.m. on Sunday. There will be live music going all day long, keynote lectures happening in the pyramid, and an organic roadshow at 3 o’clock.
The Festival will be followed by an event at the Kelowna Community Theatre, called “The Right to a Healthy Environment.”
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