Photo by Barbara Wetzel
Showing off Green Fest t-shirts from the first three years of the festival are (l-r) vendor Susan Simonson (2009), Darrell Jones (2010) and wife Amy Jones (2011). Amy is a founder of both the Green Fest Committee and the Boonsboro Recycling Task Force, the general sponsor of the festival.
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Scenes from 2011 Boonsboro Green Fest
Photos by Henry Stiles
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Festival highlights
sustainable living,
conservation, recycling
The Boonsboro Green Fest was established on the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend in May 2009 to promote conservation, recycling and sustainable living within our community. Every year since, the Green Fest's attendance, number of vendors, variety of activities and recycling opportunities have increased.
The 4th annual spring festival, sponsored by the Boonsboro Recycling Task Force, will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.on Saturday, May 12, 2012, rain or shine, at Boonsboro's historic Shafer Park. Admission is FREE.
The festival will feature more than 100 vendors, a variety of food concessions, children's activities, speakers, door prizes, entertainment, and the Recycling Zone, which will include an array of recycling stations.
Photo by Barbara Wetzel
The Yardslippers, an eclectic band from Frederick, Md., give a lively performance at the Bandstand during the 2011 Green Fest.
Everything from solar energy systems to composting to fair trade products to heirloom tomato plants to clothing and sports equipment swaps to jewelry and rain barrels to information booths and exhibits will be featured throughout the park.
Vendors wishing to participate may apply on line beginning on Jan. 1, 2012. The deadline for applications is April 2, 2012. Vendors will be required to pay a $20 registration fee for each 10-foot-square space. See the Vendor Standards and Practices here.
A printed program guide, including a map and list of vendors and sponsors will be available to attendees. In advance of the festival, committee members will be distributing bookmarks and posters promoting the events of the day.
Lapel sticker worn
by the 2,200 attendees
at last year's festival
Volunteers needed
Scores of volunteers will be needed throughout the day, helping vendors with setup, passing out programs, collecting recyclables in the Recycling Zone, helping in the Kid Zone with the children's activities, directing traffic and cleaning up the park. Volunteers must sign up in advance and by May 9, 2012. Volunteer Form
Donations welcome
The committee is determined to produce an event that is free and open to the public. To help defray expenses associated with promotion and production, the committee gratefully accepts monetary donations and in-kind contributions. Five levels of giving have been established. They are Green Leaf ($300 & over), Gold Leaf ($200-299), Silver Leaf ($100-199), Bronze Leaf ($50-99) and Green Fest Patron ($49 & under).
Special sponsorship opportunities are available, including underwriting the program guide printing cost and purchasing green lamp post banners. Go to the sponsor page for details.
If you are able to help in any way, please make checks payable to "Boonsboro Green Fest" and mail to: Boonsboro Green Fest, PO Box 64, Boonsboro, MD 21713-0064. If you have questions or would like to make a comment, please email the committee or write to the above address.
Photo by Barbara Wetzel
Several members of the 2011 Green Fest Committee proudly show off the official green t-shirts during their final meeting before the third annual festival. They are (l-r) Kathy Vesely, Leslie Haardt, Brigitte Schmidt, Amy Jones, Laura Schnackenberg, Rosemary James and Janeen Solberg.
Green Fest organizers
Working with Green Fest 2012 Co-Chairs Janeen Solberg and Barbara Wetzel again this year are returning committee members: Sieg Gooding, Sean and Leslie Haardt, Harvey Hoch, Rosemary James, Amy Jones, Frances Lynch, Dan Murphy, Brigitte Schmidt, Laura Schnackenberg, Rick Schulman and Kathy Vesely. Washington County liaisons to the committee are Anthony Drury and Cliff Engle.
Ms. Solberg also is the founding chair of the Boonsboro Recycling Task Force, which sponsors the Green Fest, and serves on the Boonsboro Town Council with Ms. Wetzel; Ms. James is the current chair of the Recycling Task Force; Ms. Vesely serves as chair of the Washington County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, and Ms. Schnackenberg is a member of the town's Park Board, which oversees the operation of the expanding Shafer Park, location of the annual festival.
Mr. Hoch is the retired Washington County recycling coordinator, while Mr. Drury is the current recycling coordinator. Mr. Engle is the director of landfill operations for the county.
Come learn ways to help Mother Earth on Mother's Day weekend.
Volunteer Sign-up
Deadline for submission is May 9, 2012.
Hot Topics 
Vendor sign-up begins
More than 100 vendors
expected for 2012 event
BOONSBORO, Md. (January 2012) - The fourth annual Boonsboro Green Fest might be five months away, but vendors should start planning now if they want to participate in the event slated for May 12, 2012, in the town’s Shafer Park.
Click here for information that will direct you to the application form. Fill out the form and email it to the committee or print and mail it to: Boonsboro Green Fest, PO Box 64, Boonsboro, MD 21713, along with your registration fee. Checks should be made payable to Boonsboro Green Fest.
The registration fee again this year is $20 for a 10-foot square space. Additional 10-foot square spaces are $20 each. Vendors must provide their own tables and canopies.
Registration fees and sponsorships help defray the cost of printing, advertisements and materials. The festival, along with parking, is free to attendees; more than 2,200 attended the event last year.
The registration application deadline is April 2; however, the Green Fest committee urges vendors to apply as soon as possible, as there are limited spaces available. Each year, the number of vendors has increased. More than 100 vendors filled the park last year.
The Mother’s Day weekend festival is sponsored by the Boonsboro Recycling Task Force, whose mission is to promote recycling and conservation through service and education. The Task Force meets at 7 p.m. each third Tuesday at the Community Center in Shafer Park. Attendance is open to the public.
The Green Fest has been designated as an official event of the Town of Boonsboro.
ALL DECKED OUT in her flower dress and tree-adorned face, Elizabeth Guenther takes a stroll with a refreshing cone during the 2011 Green Fest at Shafer Park. Elizabeth is the daughter of Jennifer Guenther, owner of Enkore Kids - one of the more than 100 vendors taking part in last year's event. (Photo by Barbara Wetzel)