Hulbert Street Sustainability Fiesta 2010
Hulbert Street Sustainability Fiesta 2010
Growing Community – September 18th and 19th 2010
For three years now Hulbert Street, a local street in South Fremantle has hosted a Spring Sustainability Fiesta. Last year two homes, five artist’s studios and seven gardens were open to the public and over 60 stalls, 100 performing artists, 30 speakers and about 5,000 visitors enjoyed the day.
The vision behind the Fiesta is one of celebrating sustainable living, and encouraging people to take on a more sustainable lifestyle by coming to visit the most sustainable accommodation option in WA – The Painted Fish and Fremantle’s “Sustainable Street” – Hulbert Street. Sustainability and community are an important aspect of life on Hulbert Street, with 37% of the houses being connected to their own solar power, two thirds of households growing some of their own food and regular street movies, gardening days and courses ensuring people in the street are well connected and in a perfect situation to host the Fiesta.
Hulbert Street will be closed to traffic for the weekend, with residents volunteering to ensure all cars are off the road so space is available for stalls and activities. Last year about 60 stall holders participated – about one third community groups (such as Living Smart, The Organic Growers Association, The Men’s Shed, local schools), about one third local artists and craftsman, and about one third local businesses selling sustainable products used at The Painted Fish and other street households (e Solar Shop, Earth and Water, Tanks Very Much etc) This blend of stalls gave the Fiesta a very “local homegrown” feel.
During the Fiesta a Living Smart Speakers Tent is set up to allow different groups and individuals involved in sustainable living to share information in a more formal way over the weekend. Topics will include those generally covered in the award winning “Living Smart” course – water, power, transport, waste, healthy homes, gardening for productivity and biodiversity, simply living, and keeping yourself healthy. A speaker’s timetable will be advertised in the local paper and on a flier handed to participants as they enter the street. Those interested will be encouraged to participate in a local “Living Smart” course by past participants and facilitators.
Local Hulbert Street residents will be showcasing their homes, creativity, work and sustainable lifestyles. Open homes including The Painted Fish and 21 Hulbert Street will be open and informative signage will enable visitors to wander and learn at their leisure. Other gardens in the street will be open to members of the public, including a native water wise garden and several showing different styles of food production.
There are seven practising artists living in the Hulbert Street, and most will hold open studios over the weekend. Other householders will take part in a Living Smart Poster Project where they share what they have done in the past twelve months to make their homes and lifestyles more sustainable and what their future plans are.
There will be a great deal for people to see and do over the weekend. Cafe style seating will be set up near a Buskers’ Spot to allow participants to relax after visiting the open homes, studios and gardens and allow the informal sharing of information and food – an important part of “growing community”.
In preparation for the Fiesta several street and community events will be held, including a Street Verge Gardening Day a month or so before the big event when residents of Hulbert Street will be encouraged to plant productive food gardens on their verges. Products from a Children’s Art Project in the weeks before the Fiesta will be displayed and added to during the Fiesta itself.
With financial support from the City of Fremantle, local politicians and The Painted Fish, the Fiesta has grown into a major event. Many volunteers help out with the running the Fiesta, with approximately $27,000 worth of in kind support being donated – and this figure does not include those helping with the various community groups and charities that participated! This year funding has been granted from Lottery West, and the City of Fremantle.
Each year’s Fiesta features a poster based on a painting by local artist Tim Darby. Hulbert Street has its own bee hive and his poster this year features some of the younger street residents selling honey from the street cargo bike. His whimsical water colour caricatures are popular with adults and children. Prints and cards of the poster will be available for sale over the weekend and local schools will be invited to use the poster as a stimulus for writing and art activities which can then be displayed.
There are many family activities over the weekend. Children and youth are able to participate in busking, art and craft activities, face painting, ping pong competitions, fairy shows . . . . the list grows daily! Community groups and schools are invited to run stalls with activities for families as a fundraising and advertising venture for their groups, and this year a TAFE student will coordinate a special series of youth activities.
The aim of the Fiesta is to encourage people to take on more sustainable behaviours. This year a formal evaluation of participants satisfaction with the event, changes in knowledge, attitude and intention, and any actions implemented following the event will be undertaken.
To get involved with the Fiesta or for more information contact Shani Graham at stay@thepaintedfish.com.au
For stall applications please apply with Kylie at http://www.redtentevents.com.au/