Vermont Roots Reggae Festival: April 2009

The Empress MCs and Friends of Vermont Roots Reggae 2009

Much Respect

The People

This is a community event for all of the people and families in and around Vermont. Please show kindness and understanding towards all so everyone can feel loved and respected as human beings. We all deserve this feeling 'as the highest and lowest are all welcome at Jah's musical show.'

The Land

We always strive to have the utmost consideration for the land that we are using for celebration and gathering. Please recognize the leave no trace ideology, and take responsibility to share ideas with brothers and sisters who may not be as conscious of this. There will be waste containers throughout the festival site, but we are aiming to produce as little hazardous waste as possible along with composting all food waste and recycling as much as possible. This year we will leave the park in better shape than we found it
with a piece of art (possibly a totem pole, sculpture, or other idea brought up in the Gathering of the Minds...)

Security

Law enforcement officials, paramedics, private security and the fire department have been very important in bringing this all together, so we hope all will appreciate and respect the rules of no glass or animals (unfortunately!), and no illegal drugs or alcohol on the site. These officials are present for our well-being and are looking to enjoy the day as much as anyone else.

Camping

We are unable to provide any camping at the Burlington Festival, and ask that no one camps on the waterfront unless going directly through North Beach and Parks and Recreation. In fact, we encourage people to camp, but legally.

Recording

We ask that no one records sound the festival other than in their memory or with special permission of the bands. Cameras of all sorts are encouraged on the other hand. We're looking to get as much footage of the event as possible to possibly release a DVD and Internet film next year. Musicians have asked us to pass along this message.

Parking

Please do not bring your cars down to the Waterfront Park and illegally park. There are only a certain number of spots down there, but by all means first come first serve. We need to follow traffic regulations or else there is risk of accidents. There are spots in garages and on the street all throughout Burlington. There is a shuttle bus that runs from College Street to the Park. Utilize this!

ROOTS ROCK REGGAE RISE UP TIME!

Blessings and Neverending Respect

Vermont Roots Reggae Festival Mission

The 2009 Vermont Roots Reggae Festival is proud to be celebrating 400 years of Vermont's existence on June 20th in Burlington reggaetown as the world goes through such a powerful evolution.

The roots of this festival lie on the shores of Lake Champlain and we are coming together this year to both celebrate and participate in a place that allows diverse people to express their truths and rights through music, art, forums, science,
good food and farming.

There are countless Human, Plant and Animal Rights abuses taking place in nearly every town in the state and all over the world. Of course, there are many incredible breakthroughs being made by Vermonters in terms of visions for a sustainable and peaceful future as well, but we must not let the unique character of this state be overrun by postmodern mcmansions and boxstores. The Local Movement is building along with THE MOVEMENT as a whole. Exciting, beautiful and telling times are here.

When thousands of people even make the slightest effort to do something as a group, the results are astounding. Imagine if everyone in the festival contributed even twenty minutes of their time, energy, and thought to some sort of collective project. We can and will make a great contribution!

We recognize that the world, U.S. right the the midst, is going through tough times in many different senses, anywhere from economic disaster to war to famine to suppression of truth and knowledge to the people, and are ready to help bring the people together to rebuild and invest in the infrastructure and underlying core of life on earth (the land, the sea, and all of their inhabitants) with socially and environmentally responsible corporations, and architecture.

The message of reggae is one of love, non-violence and respect for the earth and our place on it. We work to emanate positive vibrations into the field of consciousness, and both support our president, and also push him to act for the people, and keep watchful eyes on them just as they do us. The currently suppressed scientific and spiritual truths of existing cheap and clean energy technologies will be a major focus of our festivals this summer with expositions from different research laboratories working with magnetic motors, garage built greasecar kits, holistic healing, nutrition, and workshops on the greater truth movement

We are excited to bring roots reggae world music blues jazz dub rock funky tropical green mountain festival vibration to the state that has been steadily carrying such rich culture and life every since the beginning.

There will be an open air art, food and craft market along with a Gathering of the Minds Forum on sustainability and consciousness with panelists from all over Vermont and the world. This includes politicians, business executives and workers, professors, bankers, doctors, scientists, artists, writers, organizers, musicians, and ideally as many people as possible at the festival to contribute to the collective result of our energy and ideas. The world is in a state of crisis! Let's put aside the political spectrum and find solutions because we all know what we need to do here and now together. The collective consciousness, the science and the spiritual undertones behind it will make for a great debate. Public discussion, state and global collaboration can and will bring us out of this current pollution.

The music is in the spirit of the most high, and we hope to inspire our inner spirits to release from turmoil, enter the now
and release from the coil of ego and fear. We are all one in this beautiful existence. It's looking to be an irie time!

We invite you all to join us!

Many Blessings and Much Love