Rainforest Festival
Petersburg’s Rainforest festival is a non-profit event whose goal is to bring participants closer to nature through education, arts, and exploration while learning more about Peterburg’s rainforest and the ocean surrounding it. The Rainforest festival features walking tours, workshops, lectures, and visiting authors and artists. The funding for this event comes from time and space donations by local and government organizations, grants, and the event’s merchandise sales.
The Official Committee of the Rainforest Festival (Karen Dillman, Marilyn Menish-Meucci- Chris Weiss, Mary Clemens, Avery Herman-Sakamoto, and Sunny Rice) thankfully accepts donations and sponsorships from organizations and individuals to help fund specific recreational activities or the Rainforest Festival as a whole. Acceptance of contributions does not imply endorsement of sponsoring agency activities or missions, nor does it confer advertising privileges or decision-making to the sponsor.
This festival is held on the second weekend of September in Petersburg and celebrates the bounty and beauty of Southeast Alaska’s temperate coastal rainforest. The Rainforest Festival also provides a better understanding of the rainforest and marine ecosystem that surrounds the city through different activities (all age-appropriate for everyone) like science talks, live music, writing and cooking workshops, nature-based art, outdoor activities, and many more, all center around the region’s animals, plants and forest environments. Alaska Sea Grant’s Marine Advisory Program agent, and Committee member, Sunny Rice, shares annually on this festival her marine education expertise.