EarthTones Festival celebrates Earth Week

Local funk rock powerhouse The Native Sway will headline EarthTones, a free festival taking place Tuesday, April 19, from noon to 7 p.m. on Duck Pond Field at Appalachian State University.

Featuring live music from several area performers, information about green initiatives at Appalachian and opportunities to learn more about sustainable businesses in the area, EarthTones is held as part of Earth Month at the university and is organized by members of the campus's Sustainable Energy Society and the student chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

"We invite students, campus members and the local community to spend a free day together on Duck Pond Field celebrating spring weather and Earth Month," said John McFee, coordinator of EarthTones. "Come learn about some of the many efforts that make Appalachian and this area one of the leading campus communities for sustainability in the country."

Performing in addition to The Native Sway are electronic funk band Nomadic, bluegrass-folk outfit The Major Sevens, alternative rockers Swift Science, singer-songwriter Ashley Heath of Living Art, folk singer and guitarist Brian Swanson and members of the Appalachian Heritage Council.

Student organizations dedicated to sustainable causes will provide information at the event. These include the Sustainable Energy Society, Growing Sustainable Futures and the Sustainable Transportation Club.

Vendors at the outdoor festival will include such earth-friendly, local businesses as Speakeasy Tattoo Company, which features organic inks; Caravan Botanicals, a natural and organic soap shop; and Green Mother Goods, a retail store providing organic cotton clothing, fair trade gifts, natural, chemical-free toys and local art; among others. A portion of vendors' proceeds will benefit student organizations on campus.

A campus renewable energy tour will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The walking/bus tour begins in front of Raley Hall and ends at the festival. Appalachian's DAISEE trailer (Delivering Appropriate Innovative Sustainable Energy Education) will be on site demonstrating clean energy technologies, such as functioning solar photovoltaic panels, solar thermal panels and a wind generator, as well as other green building features.

For more information about the event, visit sustain.appstate.edu/event/2011/04/19/earthtones-concert or http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=119433901468039.

For more information about Earth Month activities at Appalachian, visit sustain.appstate.edu/earthmonth2011.