On the last day of February at the Green Events and Innovations conference in London, The Green Gathering was presented with the International Greener Festival Award – the highest accolade in the world for sustainable events.
Green Gathering also won the International Greener Power Award for demonstrating that it's possible to run a whole festival - not only the stages but the backstage production, traders and all - using off-grid renewable sources.
The GEI conference and awards are part of A Greener Future’s mission to improve the sustainability of events, tours, venues and festivals. The Green Gathering was rigorously assessed on everything from local community impact to ethical sourcing by food traders, from the event’s overall carbon footprint to choice of toilets, the proportion of crew who use public transport, and the ‘beyond the festival’ effects of 5000 people spending four days immersed in greener, kinder ways of living.
“Green Gathering is known as ‘the original off grid festival - powered by sun, wind, people and passion for change’. Rather than being a festival for forgetting your responsibilities, Green Gathering inspires people to change their habits and leave the festival ready to change the world! This is achieved through skill sharing, activist training, permaculture workshops, heritage crafts, education on alternative technology, solar power... the list goes on. Sustainability was never an afterthought here - it is the very reason the festival began and is at the heart of everything, from the moon loos to help encourage plastic free periods, to the Crock and Rock system for reusable cutlery, to the upcycled ‘danger bunting’ … The Green Gathering is a shining example of just how green a festival can be.”
- A Greener Future
“We were shocked and so so pleased, truly honoured, to be up on stage at GEI to receive these awards. We live and breathe sustainable practices and to be recognised at such a level as successful grassroots pioneers is hugely heart warming; it will energise us to keep innovating, improving and inspiring other events to 'green up'. Thanks to A Greener Future for all your encouragement, and congratulations to everyone who contributes to The Green Gathering - this award is yours too.”
- Em Weirdigan, Green Gathering director
Green Gathering organisers are already working on improvements for the year ahead – being the best doesn’t mean there’s no work left to do. With a vision is to move beyond sustainable to regenerative, to a place where the festival creates a verifiable positive impact on people and planet, the pioneers won’t rest here.
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The Green Gathering, 3-6 August 2023, Chepstow.
Cover photo: Graham Brown
