Whole Earth Festival

 Peace, Love, and Tie Die. That is, in part, the essance of the Whole Earth Festival. Every year on Mother’s Day weekend the UC Davis quad area fills with artists and vendors of incredible calibre, vegetarian food of every kind, and music everywhere! This is an experience not to be missed.

Unless you arrive early, prepare to walk from any of the designated parking lots or street parking. Stop first at the karma dome to get a brochure, but do not limit yourself to only the entertainment listed in the brochure. There are plenty of spontaneous drum circles where those who feel the inspiration get up and dance along. The kids area can be located by finding the climbing bars that are quite popular. Also nearby is fingerpainting and some paper mache activities if you are able to get there before the supplies have run out.

In addition to being a great place to hang out for a day and people watch, (every year there are jugglers, hoola hoopers and others just doing their thing in the middle of the quad) it is a festival that truly emphasizes the love of the planet we inhabit and all people in it. Meals are served on reusable plates and cups. You pay a dollar deposit for your dish which you get back after turning it in to the washing station. Electricty used to amplify bands/music is powered (in part if not soley) by solar energy. Many vendors sell wares that are made from reusable material. You cannot purchase any food with meat. It is truly a festival not just for commercialism. Here there is every bit as much practice as there is preaching.