Join us for the fourth annual REAP Down to Earth Week - a celebration of local, sustainable living presented by REAP, First Calgary Financial, Bullfrog Power, Calgary Herald, and the Calgary Food Committee.

Experience the best in being local and learn how your daily choices can create a more vibrant and resilient Calgary.

Kitchen Culture

Wednesday, March 14 from 3:30-5:30 pm
Boxwood, 340 - 13 Avenue SW (Central Memorial Park)

Sample Alberta's local, sustainable food scene and hear the inspiring stories behind each mouthful. Drink wine from Birds & Bees Organic Winery and hear from the owner, Xina Chrapko, about how Alberta's first winery got its start. Sample hors d'oeuvres from Top of the Mountain Beef and Greens, Eggs and Ham (prepared by Boxwood Chef Andy Love) and hear how Slow Money got started in Alberta. Learn about River Cafe and Boxwood's commitment to local sourcing from proprietor Sal Howell, and hear about the impact of that commitment from Janine Windsor of LEAF.

Canapes at 3:30 pm
Presentations at 4:00 pm
Wine tasting at 4:45 pm

Tickets are $25 each and include wine, non alcoholic beverages and hors d'oeuvres.
Click here to purchase yours online.

Naturally - Mother Nature's Trade Fair

Sunday, March 18 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Carriage House Inn, 9030 Macleod Trail S

Naturally is a fun filled day for the whole family! With over 7,000 Sq/Ft and over 60 local businesses everyone in the family (including Dad) is sure to find something new and interesting. Features include:

• REAP Lane
• Kidseat Recyclers - bring in your used or expired carseats for recycling!
• Private Mother's Nursing/ Changing Area
• Fabulous Raffle and Door Prizes

Free admission and plenty of free parking is available in the main lot as well as in the large auxiliary parking lot across Bonaventure Drive from the Hotel.

Film Screening: And This Is My Garden

Monday, March 19 from 7:00-9:15 pm
Cardel Theatre, 180 Quarry Park Blvd SE

And This Is My Garden is the incredible story of one teacher's mission to teach grade five students in Northern Manitoba how to grow their own food. See how her program has changed the town of Waboden, energizing families, improving health, and building intergenerational relationships and community. The success of the Mel Johnson School Gardening Project has been recognized by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, the David Suzuki Foundation, and Manitoba Conservation. The film has won awards at numerous film festivals around the globe.

Free admission with a donation for the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank.
Doors open at 7:00 pm. Film 7:15-8:15 pm, followed by community gardening displays until 9:15 pm. Each attendee will receive a Healthy Yard DVD compliments of The City of Calgary.

Our Partners

We would like to thank the following organizations without whom this festival wouldn't be possible:

First Calgary Financial is committed to understanding emerging practices in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), from a social, environmental and economic perspective. CSR takes us well beyond showing leadership in community advocacy; it shows how important it is to articulate and demonstrate how our decisions impact the financial well-being of our organization and all stakeholders, the well- being of the communities in which we operate as well as our internal community and culture, and the physical and natural environment in which we exist.

Bullfrog Power, Canada's 100 per cent green electricity provider, offers homes and businesses a clean, renewable electricity choice. Bullfrog's electricity in Alberta comes exclusively from wind facilities that have been certified as low impact by Environment Canada under its EcoLogoM program. Bullfrog Power, in partnership with REAP Business Association, is bullfrogpowering Down to Earth Week with 100% green electricity. This means that Bullfrog Power will inject carbon-free green power onto the Alberta electricity grid to match the amount of electricity used by this event.

Congratulations to REAP on its growing membership and activities. The Calgary Herald is committed to supporting environmental stewardship in our community. Find featured sustainability and eco-minded stories Friday in the Calgary Herald and follow our Green Guide online at calgaryherald.com/greenguide for practical advice and local tips on how to maximize your green activities.

With direction from Council, the Calgary Food Committee was established to undertake a Food System Assessment and Action Plan for Calgary.  Membership on the committee includes farmers, local businesses, chefs, educators, industry experts, scientists and other key players in the local food system. Their purpose is to provide information and guidance in completion of the food assessment with the consultancy support from Serecon Management Consulting and Altus Group. The Food System Assessment and Action Plan is being funded in Partnership with the City of Calgary and the Calgary Foundation.

greengate garden centre gives you inspiration and ideas to create your perfect garden. Our first-hand experience with gardening will help you choose and nurture the right greenery for your space. Understanding local growing conditions, plant varieties and environmental impact is how we help Calgarians nurture a beautiful and healthy environment.

Dedicated to cultivating Calgary’s gardening community, Calgary Horticultural Society educates and inspires gardeners through garden tours, a member magazine, a resource-filled website, hands-on courses and an annual garden show. A network of more than 100 community gardens and 5,000 members makes us Canada’s largest and most active gardening group.

LEAF is a third-party organization which offers independent certification for restaurants that meet and adhere to strict environmental criteria. LEAF helps restaurants reduce their environmental impact, and makes it easy for diners to identify green restaurants. LEAF provides a benchmark to measure the environmental sustainability of foodservice establishments in Canada.

Some of the best things happen over beer. Ideas are born, friendships forged, deals struck, communities built. That’s how Village Brewery began, friends sharing beers and dreams. Please join our table, lift a pint and salute the Village of Calgary. It takes a Village to raise a beer. And a beer to raise a Village.