This year, June 20 is not only just for the changing of seasons. It also marks the second annual Summer Solstice Fest in downtown Blacksburg on Main Street and Lee Street.

Although the actual solstice this year occurs at approximately 1:45 a.m. on June 21, that will not hinder the celebrations. The festival will have entertainment for all ages, ranging from street entertainers and a luau to a children’s play area and a dog parade and costume contest.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has officially recognized this year’s Summer Solstice Fest as a green event. To qualify, the event has to publicly offer recycling to the attendees, eliminate the use of Styrofoam, reduce the use of printed materials, reduce the amount of waste produced by the event, and advertise that it is a green event.

The event planners have committed to all the above requirements and more.

“We will encourage attendees to ride their bikes or walk to the event,” said Laureen Blakemore, the director of special events for the Downtown Merchants of Blacksburg. “Bike Barn will have a Bike Blender. You will be able to ride a stationary bike which will blend your own smoothie!”

The fest will also have a parade for walkers and bikers, as well as a display of a full-scale model of a solar-powered house, which was submitted by Virginia Tech to the 2009 Solar Decathlon.

“It made sense to work on greening up our festivals and Summer Solstice Fest was the obvious starting point,” Blakemore said. “We honor the earth by giving something back and committing to take care of it.”

Blakemore hopes to see between 8,000 and 10,000 attendees attending this year’s festivities. It obviously takes many hands to put such an event together. More than 100 volunteers, several musical groups, and several businesses from downtown Blacksburg have and will be contributing time, supplies, snacks, and entertainment.

Along with the bands Sol Creech, the PanJammers, and the Prisoners, HopeHop will be performing during the event. They are scheduled to perform at around 9 p.m. on the main stage, which is down the street from Cabo Fish Taco.

“I definitely love that this is a green event,” said MC Eddie McClain of HopeHop. “I’m just hoping to have a great time celebrating the beginning of another beautiful summer in Blacksburg with the rest of my community and all of our guests.”

This year’s festival will be hosting a dog parade and costume contest again. The application process for the contest has become almost entirely electronic to reduce paper usage. Amanda Timcik, the organizer of the canine events, has been involved in planning the festival since the beginning of the year.

Registration for the dogs starts at noon in the church parking lot behind Cabo Fish Taco. The dog parade will be at 2 p.m. and awards for the best three dog costumes will be at 3 p.m.

“Along with the registration we will also have a dog wash and a doggy pool for interested pooches who need a cool down,” Timcik said. “Water buckets are going to be located throughout the festival and we encourage people to have their dogs drink as much water as they can get them to. If the weather is going to be anything like last year we definitely want all dogs to stay as cool as possible.”

The Summer Solstice Fest is free to enter; attendees only pay for what they eat, drink, or purchase. The money is intended to go toward the Downtown Merchants of Blacksburg, as well as other non-profit organizations.

“We put the money right back into the community in the form of more events and downtown programs including our green commitment which we are developing,” Blakemore said.

This event is offering a variety of food vendors and interactive entertainment for those who attend. Blacksburg’s Happy Wok, India Garden, and Backstreets will be present, as well as Awful Arthur’s with an oyster-slurping contest. For those who are looking for activities, there will be other contests on Cabo Fish Taco’s sand beach, such as limbo, tug-o-war, and sumo wrestling. To coincide with the luau, there will be hula dancers, as well as swing dancing lessons and belly dancers.

According to Blakemore, her goals for the event are “fun, family, community, and environmental awareness.”

Here is the event’s full schedule:

Main Stage Schedule for Summer Solstice Fest
1 p.m.          Sol Creech
2 p.m.          Dog Parade, costume contest and awards
3:30 p.m.    Blacksburg Area Belly dancers
4:30 p.m.    Oyster Slurping contest
5:15 p.m.     The PanJammers and Island Pan
6:30 p.m.    South West Virginia Social Dance Club
7:15 p.m.     Food Landscape Contest Awards
7:30 p.m.     The Prisoners
9 p.m.          HopeHop

In the Tiki Garden
10 p.m.         Hawaiian Luau -hula dance, fire dance, drumming
11 p.m.         Andy Hollander acoustics

Offstage Entertainment Schedule
Noon          Drum Circle, poi spinning, Hoop Jam in the Entertainment Area
          16 Blocks Walking Tour in the TOB Museum Tent
1 p.m.         16 Blocks Walking Tour in the TOB Museum Tent
2 p.m.        Dog Parade Begins Parade Route begins at Lee St Lot
16 Blocks Walking Tour in the TOB Museum Tent
3 p.m.        Dog Parade Ends Parade Route ends at stage
16 Blocks Walking Tour in the TOB Museum Tent
5 K Race Registration Begins Registration Tent
4 p.m.       16 Blocks Walking Tour in the TOB Museum Tent
6 p.m.      Food Landscape Contest In front of Main St. Inn
7:15 p.m.   5K Registration Ends Registration Tent
Hoop Jam in the Entertainment area
8:30 p.m.  5K Race Begins TOB Library
10 p.m.      5K Race Finish & Awards TOB Library

Rachel Shapiro is an intern for the New River Voice who enjoys fun, family, community, and environmental awareness.