Kootenays Resilience Festival

The impact festival hosted in Kaslo for 2024 and livestreamed to the world, unfolds from June to September as a groundbreaking initiative weaving together the core pillars of community well-being: Food, Energy, Housing, Mobility into Health with Technology & Innovation. This festival is not just an event series; it’s a dynamic platform for collective inspiration and major support, with the arts and AI serving as the catalyst for real action.

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“Where live music, food, innovation, technology, art and conversation collide.”

Festival Highlights:

  • Interactive Events: Monthly themed events exploring critical topics.
  • Vibrant Mix: Food, artisans, and musical performances creating a dynamic blend.
  • Inspiring Presentations: Bridging community dialogue, entertainment, and resilient innovations.
  • Civic Engagement: Livestreaming to world and diving deep with the Thought Exchange civic engagement platform, allowing online voting on proposed solutions.
  • Take action: Our goal is to support the innovators and point interested residents to organizations leading the charge.

Join us for an unforgettable experience where every beat, brushstroke, and bite contributes to a future defined by resilience, creativity, and collective well-being. The Kootenay Resilience Festival is not just a destination; it’s an energetic celebration of our shared journey towards a vibrant, interconnected world.

June 15: Food Forum

Host: Kootenay Food Professionals

Dedicated to creating a resilient and equitable food system, the first event will feature presentations by experts in local growing, permaculture and global regenerative agriculture and vertical farming. Attendees will have the opportunity to actively participate in discussions and contribute to a vision for sustainable food strategy. 

July 20: Energy Expo

Host: Kootenay Energy Professionals

With a focus on renewable energy and conservation, the July event will showcase solutions for a sustainable energy future including micro hydro, geothermal, solar and wind that will allow Kaslo and other communities to go “off-grid”. An effort will be made to create a regular working group to achieve the goals set forth from the event.

August 24: Housing Highlights

Host: Kootenay Housing Professionals

Expert speakers, both local and global, will delve into innovative housing solutions, emphasizing sustainability and affordability. This will focus on automated homebuilding, micro/modular housing and co-ownership of land. Will feature example communities and solutions in action to support as a regional Living Lab for dynamic experiments.

September 7: Mobility Motivate

Host: Kootenay Mobility Professionals

Exploring electric, micro and shared mobility solutions, the September event will bring together experts, residents, visitors and global leaders to create a transportation plan for all. We will attempt to have 100 people “pledge” towards the solution and sell their vehicles for a shared electric vehicle system.

Overall Festival Theme: “Health & Wellness for All”

Throughout the festival, the overarching theme of “Health & Wellness for All” will underscore the interconnectedness of the four pillars—Housing, Food, Energy, and Transportation. By addressing these components, the Kootenay Resilience Festival aims to create a blueprint for a healthier, more resilient community and connect solutions for the region and world.

Civic Engagement and Technology Integration

The Kootenay Lightweb’s civic engagement platform will serve as a cornerstone, enabling residents to participate actively in the decision-making process. Through in-person and online voting, the community will collaboratively shape the future, ensuring that diverse voices contribute to the solutions proposed during the festival.

Funding and Partnerships

The festival is made possible through the generous support of sponsors that have supported the successful Kaslo Summer Music Series for 3 years alongside new corporate sponsors committed to sustainability and community resilience. Their contributions will fund the media, artists, operations, technology, infrastructure, and the participation of local and global experts.

The Kootenay Resilience Festival aspires to be a catalyst for positive change, demonstrating that by collectively addressing key aspects of community well-being, we can build a more resilient, vibrant, and interconnected society.

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