EcoFest Celebrates Local Businesses, Sustainability

It's big, it's fun and it's green: Learning Gate Community School's EcoFest happens this Saturday at the school's 27-acre campus.

Learning Gate's vision is "to become the nation’s leader in developing successful students and advocates for sustainable living," according to its website. The school was one of 78 to earn the U.S. Department of Education's first Green Ribbon School designation in 2012.

EcoFest promotes the environmental responsiblity the charter school aims to instill in its its students daily by celebrating Bay area businesses, organizations and individuals dedicated to the principles of sustainability: ecology, equity and economy.

Participating artists, businesses and organizations hail from Land O' Lakes, Lutz, Carrollwood and North Tampa, event orgnanizer Michele Northrup said.

"Our focus this year is to show the importance of mom-and-pop businesses and individuals in our community that provide items and services that are unique to national brands," Northrup said.

This is the fourth year the school will host the event,

EcoFest activities will include live music, a kids' zone, workshops, demonstrations, informational booths, green living products and services from local artists, green businesses, environmental organizations, alternative health practitioners, renewable energy specialists, and organic farms and gardens with fresh local produce.

"We hope the folks of Lutz will come out and enjoy the day on our campus. We have a drum circle, kids zone area, workshops, and even baby goats from one of our goat milk soap vendors," Northrup said.

If You Go:

When:  9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2

Where: Learning Gate Community School, 16215 Hanna Road in Lutz

More information can be found on the EcoFest Facebook page.

Editor's Note: As thanks for helping Land O' Lakes Patch reach the 1,000 fan mark on Facebook, Patch editor Keli Sipperley will let some young attendees send pies flying at her before the end of the day. Stop by the Patch table at EcoFest for more details.

Patch will double the pies if Lutz Patch makes the 500-fan milestone before Saturday's event.

See also:

Obama Administration Honors Learning Gate with Green Ribbon

EcoFest Draws Green Enthusiasts

Patch is participating as a media sponsor of EcoFest 2013. In the interest of full disclosure, Keli Sipperley's children attend LGCS.