A Celebration of All Things Sustainable, Lancaster’s One Planet Festival returns on 13th October to 3rd November with three weeks of events, workshops and films aimed at celebrating sustainable living and inspiring action on climate change.
This will be the fourth One Planet Festival and there’s something for everyone; from a 5k run to do good-green-deeds, to a sustainable Gardener’s Question Time event, half term workshops for children, an energy fair, art exhibition, films, talks and a play.
The festival kicks off on Sunday 13th October with the screening of More than Honey (PG) at The Dukes Cinema (5.30pm). This beautifully shot film explores why bee populations around the world are facing extinction and is followed by a ‘Buzz about Bees’ public meeting to discuss ways to support bees in our local area, organised by Incredible Edible Lancaster. Dr Fred Ayres, Chair of Lancaster Bee Keepers, will be speaking at the meeting that starts at 7.15pm.
The One Planet Art Exhibition, which brings together works by local artists exploring themes of climate change, energy and waste will run in the Dukes Gallery for three weeks. The artwork will challenge visitors to think about how the world is being affected by our actions locally and globally.
The exhibition will open with a public viewing on Monday 14th October at 7.30pm, and runs until 3 November.
Budding gardeners can put questions to a panel of green-fingered experts at the ‘One Planet Festival Gardeners’ Question Time’. The panel will include BBC Radio Lancashire’s expert gardener Bill Blackledge, and in line with the ethos of the festival, questions will concentrate on sustainable gardening and food growing.
This free event takes place on Wednesday 16th October, at 7pm at the Storey Institute.
The festival is also organising Lancaster’s first 5km GoodGym run on Saturday 26th October. The GoodGym initiative helps people to get and stay fit, while benefiting their community. The Lancaster event will involve running to Fork to Fork’s food growing site next to Lancaster Brewery. Runners will then help to improve access to the site, which is run by Thumbprint, a local organisation supporting people with learning disabilities. After the tasks are completed the runners will return to Dalton Square.
The GoodGym is already a successful project in London, Bristol and Liverpool. (See www.goodgym.org). Festival organiser Liz Horn said: ‘We’re excited to be bringing the GoodGym idea to Lancaster. It’s a great way to get fit and support the local community. Runners should not only be prepared for the 5k run but also digging, lifting and a sense of achievement! We hope this will be the start of a regular GoodGym group run in Lancaster.’ Runners should meet at The Cornerstone building, Dalton Square at 9.45am on Saturday 26 October.
An Energy Saving Fair, organised by Transition City Lancaster, will take place at St Thomas’ Church Hall, Marton Street, Lancaster on Saturday 19th October from 11am-4pm. Advice on staying warm this winter and reducing energy bills will be available from stallholders and there will be speakers throughout the day.
Finally, during half term week (28th October – 3rd November) the One Planet Festival will take over The Dukes, with daily workshops aimed at helping children understand and get involved in sustainable living. Workshops include learning how to animate fruit and veg, to a Halloween Garlic and Potions making special in what promises to be a magical week.
The week will be rounded off with live performances of Allotment, a dark comedy that is a celebration of all things gardening on Saturday 2nd November at The Dukes.
• To find out more about all One Planet Festival events, venues and times visit www.oneplanetfestival.org.uk or call LESS on 01524 66100 or see our Facebook page facebook.com/OnePlanetFestival
Brief Events Guide
Film screening: More than Honey (PG)
The Dukes Cinema, Moor Lane, Lancaster, 5.30pm
This beautifully shot film explores why bee populations around the world are facing extinction and will be followed by a ‘Buzz about Bees’ public meeting, to discuss how we can support bees in the local area. Organised by Incredible Edible Lancaster.
The One Planet art exhibition
The Dukes Gallery, Moor Lane, Lancaster
Exhibition opens Monday 14 Oct at 7.30pm and runs until 3 November
Brings together works by local artists exploring the themes of climate change, energy and waste. The idea is to get visitors to the gallery thinking about how the world is being affected by our actions locally and globally.
Gardeners’ Question Time
Wednesday 16 October at 7pm
The Storey Institute, Lecture Theatre, Meeting House Lane, Lancaster
A panel of green fingered experts including Radio Lancashire’s expert gardener Bill Blackledge will take questions from the public on sustainable gardening and food growing.
An Energy Saving Fair, organised by Transition City LancasterSt Thomas’ Church Hall, Marton Street, Lancaster.
Saturday 19 October from 11am-4pm
With stallholders and speakers throughout the day, this is an opportunity to find out what local services and support are available to help keep warm this winter and reduce energy bills.
One Planet/ GoodGym 5k Run – Get Fit Doing GoodRunners should meet at The Cornerstone building, Dalton Square at 9.45am on Saturday 26 October.
The guided run will be 5k in total and involve stopping at Fork to Fork’s food growing site next to Lancaster Brewery to help with digging and lifting.
Half Term One Planet Takeover The Dukes Venue: The Dukes Theatre, Moor Lane, Lancaster
During half term we will be bringing the outdoors inside by creating a wilderness of fauna, flora and all things sustainable in The Dukes’ gallery and café bar. Find yourself surrounded by vegetable patches, recycled art sculptures, mini beasts and a garden shed as you relax outdoors, indoors. Pop into the café bar each day from 11am for yummy food, games, toys, a book corner, crafts, quizzes and competitions. Plus, join us for the following fun creative workshops for children throughout the week:
Animate Your Fruit and VegTuesday 29 October at 1.30pm, 2.30pm & 3.30pm
An introduction to animation for 7-10 year olds. Bring your fruit and veg to this workshop and we’ll show you how to bring them to life through the magic of stop motion animation. Ideal for ages 7-10.
Recycled ArtWednesday 30 October 11am – 1pm
Get crafty with old junk and recycled materials. Help us make some lovely art to decorate our shed. Bring along some junk ‘ plastic bottles, old shirts, paper and card. Ideal for all ages.
Garlic And PotionsThursday 31 October 11am – 1pm
Make up your own planter, plant some garlic bulbs and learn how to care for them, then try your hand at making potions from magical plants ‘ all ready for Halloween. Wear your spookiest costume! Ideal for all ages.
Bug HotelFriday 1 November 11am – 1pm
Learn how to make a bug hotel, to encourage mini-beasts into the garden. We’ll work together to make a big bug hotel, and then you can make your own at home. Ideal for all ages.
Live event: Allotment Theatre ProductionThe Dukes Theatre, Gallery
Saturday 2 November 2013, Times: 4pm & 6pm
Venue: The Dukes, Gallery, Tickets: £8/£6
A touching, dark comedy, Allotment follows the complex and quirky relationship between sisters Dora and Maddy as they live out the seasons on their allotment and play out their rivalries among the plants. When the unexpected rocks their uneasy balance, the sisters turn to the soil.
Allotment is a tale of life, death and a celebration of gardening.
Join Maddy and Dora over a cup of tea and ponder: do flowers matter as much as vegetables’
Winner of a Scotsman Fringe First Award, Allotment is a theatrical breath of fresh air.
Film screening: Project Wild Thing (PG)
Sunday 3 November, 5.30pm (There will be a 10min talk before film)
The Dukes. Tickets £6/ £5
Dir. David Bond (2003, UK, 80 mins)
A funny and revealing look at a complex issue, the increasing connect between children and nature. David Bond is concerned; his children’s waking hours are dominated by marketing and screen dependency. In an attempt to compete with the brands, Bond appoints himself Marketing Director for Nature and sets about selling nature to British families.