The seventh annual SolarFest will offer a variety of energy-conscious activities and solar-powered performances on the Dudley Coe Quad tomorrow from noon to 5 p.m.
"The overriding goal of Solarfest is to engage not just Bowdoin students, but also the Brunswick community, in environmental responsibility and education about renewable energy," said event coordinator and Bowdoin Evergreens president Abriel Ferreira '10.
Student bands, including the Hallelujah Chicken Run Tribute Band, Harmonic Frontier, Mango Floss, and Malachi Gram and the Ukelele All-Stars, are slated to perform.
The Bowdoin acts will be joined by New England-based bands Tiger Saw and Spouse.
All of the performances will be powered entirely by a solar bus, which, according to Ferreira, can operate in both sunny and cloudy weather.
Activities will include a moonbounce, arts and crafts stations, storytelling, cookie baking in solar ovens, and informational demonstrations by the Maine Solar Energy Association and Revision Energy. Participants will also have the opportunity to make "bice cream"—ice cream churned by the power of a bicycle.
Wild Oats Bakery will sell food and beverages all afternoon, with proceeds going to the Flannel Shirt Fund, a local group that provides grants for community organic gardens.
Proceeds from T-shirt and raffle ticket sales at the event will also be donated to the fund.
The Bowdoin Outing Club will provide bike tune-ups free of charge.
Solarfest is sponsored by the Evergreens, Sustainable Bowdoin, Inter-House Council (IHC) and the Craft Center.
The event is open to Bowdoin students as well as the greater Brunswick community. In the event of rain, festivities will be relocated to Morrell Lounge.
-Compiled by Caitlin Beach.