The Cool Davis Festival took place Oct. 13 at Davis Central Park to celebrate Davis for being a “cool” city. The event took place on the park’s lawn, which was filled with booths about sustainability and being aware of carbon emissions.
A Girl Scout table offered activities such as planting wheatgrass or flower seeds in an eggshell and making art with seeds. The Carbon Solutions Center was available in the center of the park for people to find out more information about various types of energy conservation, how to reduce people’s carbon footprints and other related topics.
Tree Davis, a nonprofit group, was one of many booths represented at the festival.
“We’re committed to expanding our forests by planting trees in our neighborhoods, camps and along Highway 113,” said John Madarang, a second-year exercise biology major and intern for Tree Davis. “I am an intern, so my future job is to lead volunteers to plant trees at different events and to educate the community about the benefits of trees.”
In addition, three stages were occupied with bands, dances and theater performances. Groups such as local band Tha Dirt Feeling, Mariachi Puente, Ecokinesis Dance Company and the Cal Aggie Marching Band-Uh! made appearances at the festival.
“We just had an improv group at the main stage [and] we had some Sufi music happening at the south stage and a mariachi band,” said Betsy Raymond, entertainment programming coordinator. “There have been a lot of groups happening with lots of energy.”
Students from the high schools and from UC Davis volunteered to pass out flyers, give out information at the Cool Davis booth and help at various stations at the park. Getting students involved is another goal of Cool Davis.
“We try to have a connection with the city and the campus,” said Kerry Daane Loux, co-chair coordinator of the festival. “We really want people to get started on their paths to reduce their carbon footprints. Our goal is to get people engaged and have fun.”
MEE YANG can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
