Taos Solar Music Festival Promotes Renewable Energy with the Power of Music.

Music Producers Urge Fans to “Go Green” at 10th Annual Event in June!

Taos (May 5, 2008) – Proclaimed the Solar Capital of the World, Taos, New Mexico has been committed to going green for a long time, and this summer thousands of people from around the world will gather their umbrellas, sunscreen, family and friends, and make a musical pilgrimage to this high desert town for the 10th Annual Taos Solar Music Festival. Renowned for its brave and eclectic montage of musical acts, a solar and wind-powered stage and educational Solar Village, the 2008 festival is scheduled for June 27-29th.

Musical offerings include everything from the hard- driving southern guitar rifts of longtime radio dominates, Collective Soul, blues diva Susan Tedeschi, Americana master Steve Earle, Allison Moorer, the poetic hip-hop of The Coup, and the smooth flamenco latino world jazz of Pacifika. Fans will also enjoy the smooth country of Hal Ketchum with the power harmonic duet of the Bodeans each performing live outside at Kit Carson Park in the heart of Taos. For updates and more artists go to http://www.solarmusicfest.com.

Producers of the Taos Solar Music Festival are doing more than talking the talk. They’re walking the walk and living green. The festival’s solar stage will be powered by photovoltaic panels while the main stage uses the wind energy from Kit Carson Electric, a small but progressive energy coop in this northern New Mexico town.

“The festival is a hot bed of creativity and ideas for a better, more sustainable world,” said festival co-founder and Director Dawn Richardson. “It’s one thing to promote a party, but we want to inspire people to improve their environment for the long term.”

In many ways, New Mexico is both the birthplace and proving grounds of solar energy, from the ancient pueblo Indian cliff dwellings that consciously used southern exposure to the winter sunshine, to the many architects who pioneered passive solar design here, to the space age scientific study of solar.

Steeped in history and culture, the town is a center for artists, musicians, sustainability and spiritual renewal. It is uniquely prepared to host southwest’s premier music festival, where music fans will discover renewable energy products and solutions at the festival’s Solar Village.

It’s only fitting that a solar music festival which combines an awareness of environmental responsibility with the emotional power and excitement of music, should find its genesis in Taos, New Mexico.

The boutique-style festival draws on the tremendous solar energy knowledge base in the area, including the New Mexico Solar Energy Association, with its many solar enthusiasts, architects, and scientists, the Taos Earthship Community, one of the most self-sufficient and eco friendly communities in the world, and the many local green builders, permaculturalists, and other specialists who are each dedicated to the creation of sustainable and eco friendly communities.

Experiencing the power of solar energy is fun and educational and festival promoters will be building a solar village in the entrance to the music festival. Children will have an opportunity to check out remote control cars running on solar power and eat solar-baked cookies. Exhibitors at the Solar Village will also display working photovoltaic systems with batteries and inverters.

Exhibitors in the Solar Village will display a fuel cell that works all day from clean hydrogen fuel made on site from the sun! Music fans will have the opportunity to feel how hot that water can get from the sun with a full scale solar hot water setup. Learn about other hot water uses such as heating your radiant floor and more, and see how energy efficiency programs, buying green power from local utilities, national forest, wilderness and waterway protection and creating land trusts to preserve open space via many different exhibits.

Fans are encouraged to collect information and visit with green builders before they build their next home or schedule any type of renovation. They’ll learn how to catch rainwater off from their roofs for later use and see what cisterns are available and how these systems can benefit your garden or even provide household water.

The Solar Village will also have an educational exhibit on organic soil improvements and organic farming. Visitors may check out the latest technological breakthroughs in transportation at several electric bicycles and trikes displays. Or, they may check out the Linear City concept!

The Solar Village is free and festival attendees are encouraged and inspired to reduce, reuse and recycle while on the festival grounds.

Show Hours:
Friday June 28 3:00pm to 10:00pm
Saturday June 29 11:00am to 10:00pm
Sunday June 30 12:00pm to 8:00pm

Additional information about the Solar Village, entertainment lineup, tickets and hotel accommodations are available online at http://www.solarmusicfest.com

Contact Information

Peter St. Cyr

National Media Manager

Griffin & Associates

Contact via E-mail