SAVE THE DATE: The 2023 Burien Solar Punk Festival will be held on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. at the New Start Community Garden (map below).

Proceeds from this event will be utilized to support:

  • Key Tech Labs Green Jobs Expo
  • Mini Job Fair
  • Small Business Expo
  • New micro solar system
  • Stipends for the youth Green Pre-Apprenticeship Program 

“There are few opportunities in Burien where BIPOC (Black, Ingenuous , People of Color) people and businesses can sit down, connect, network, and celebrate the culture together.

“Join us for a full day of engagement, networking and an evening opportunity to camp under the stars, watch a culturally relevant movie and enjoy everything from locally crafted beer to AR Art wall or even drink harvested rainwater.”

Volunteers needed

We are recruiting volunteers to manage this futuristic event at the following link. There are four key elements to this event occurring simultaneously throughout the day.

  • Pop-up Farmer’s Market: community members will be able to walk through and visit booths housing tech, local green businesses and food. 
  • Green Jobs Expo: local green businesses in the solar energy, green construction, and rainwater harvesting industries. These business owners will be available to speak directly with the community members on what green business is and what it’s like to be black in these industries. These Green entrepreneurs will also share upcoming employment opportunities in which community members can interview on-site. 
  • Music Festival: occurs after the Green Jobs Expo. This centers around the stage where some spoken word artists, a band and some other media attractions will entertain guests. 
  • Movie in the Garden Showing of Black Panther: Black Panther is the perfect representation of Solar Punk as it demonstrates cultural use of technology. Black Panther also showcases a sustainable use of technology in a merger and collaboration between our technological environment and culture. This film is nostalgic in the heart of the BIPOC Community, as it showcases Black representation within Hollywood.

Get tickets and more info here

Here’s more from organizers:

“If there is one simple fact that may just change your thoughts on renewable power, it’s this one.

“In a single hour, the amount of power from the sun that strikes the Earth is more than the entire world consumes in a year.

“’Solar Punk’” is the festival theme, which envisions a future where community and technology are integrated to create a self-sustaining system. In this event, attendees will learn about alternative self-sustaining ways to work and power their daily lives.

“It is an iconic one-day event that celebrates the best of Burien and empowers the community by bringing eco-friendly businesses together to showcase what they do and connect them to the community as potential employers.

“Business, Arts, and Culture are the three most powerful drivers of community participation and engagement in Burien and the pillars upon which the festival is based.

“The proceeds from The Burien Solar Punk Festival will be utilized to support: Key Tech Labs Green Jobs Expo, a Mini Job’s Fair, a Small Business Expo, funds for the new micro solar system, and stipends for the youth Green Pre-Apprenticeship Program.

“At this year’s Burien Solar Punk Festival you will see green technologies, Like an air-to-water generator, that creates clean drinking water out of the air. You will also see a microgrid solar system that generates energy from sunlight.

“We even have a farmbot which is an open-source CNC machine that will weed, water, and seed a garden bed all by itself. The future is now and the future is green.

“For more info about the event and all that will be taking place during the event visit the event webpage at www.theburiensolarpunkfestival.org.”

New Start Community Garden is located at 614 SW 120th Street:

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