Sonoma Valley Green Music Festival sprouts in Depot Park

Restaurateur and event coordinator Emmy Kaplan is enthuastic about the prospect of an annual Sonoma Valley Green Music Festival. Photo by Ryan Lely.

Contrary to the philosophical ruminations of a popular Muppet, it is easy being green – especially when aided by a live soundtrack and environmentally conscious concert promoters. On Saturday, Aug. 9, Depot Park will be transformed into the first annual Sonoma Valley Green Music Festival, featuring bands, vendors and sponsors
The brainchild of Emmy Kaplan of NomaGirl Events, the festival is, in many ways, an attempt to provide a musical haven for area youth who aren’t of age to catch acts at the local taverns.
“In a way, I’d like to say we’re youth-driven. I like to listen to people under 30 or 35 and ask, ‘What are we missing?’ explained Kaplan. “I love blues, I love jazz, and we have a lot of concerts that are jazz and blues. And it’s great. The thing is that a lot of them are pretty inaccessible to young people, … it’s live music at night, like going out to Steiner’s and places like that, where you can’t go in if you’re under 21.”
Kaplan conducted an informal market study of local tastes, which consisted of asking the younger siblings of her cohort what they wanted to hear. In a resounding chorus they responded “reggae.” Heeding her audience’s desire, Kaplan booked Jamaican reggae act Fire Pashon as well as Bay Area-based Winstrong to headline. She rounded out the bill with Sonoma’s own AC/DC tribute act High Voltage, perennials the Whiskey Thieves, Common Ground and the Porch Junkie. Complementing the line up are a handful of DJs, including DJ Centipede, Irie Sounds, Ras James and ThreeHouse MultiMedia personality J.M. Berry.
Local vendors, farmers and crafts-people of many stripes will be on hand with “healthy foods” and beverages available to festival goers.
“We really just want to do an outside party with some bands,” said Kaplan. As one of the directors of newly-launched non-profit Mother To Mother (which operates under the aegis of The KIGALI Center for Entrepreneurs), Kaplan hopes to benefit the nascent organization through the music festival.
“I think everyone is really nervous because it’s a new event. It’s different. When we say ‘green,’ we’re really trying to have every vendor really stand by that,” said Kaplan. “It’s a music festival that’s striving to go green.”
Helping the festival achieve this goal are a number of local green-minded organizations,  including the Sonoma Ecology Center, Sonoma Compost Company and the Marin Conservation Corp. Green Printing Solutions is participating, as are SPG Solar and Solorcraft, two solar companies, which will have presences at the festival. There has even been talk about running a solar-powered stage.
Other sponsors include B.R. Cohn Winery, Gundlach-Bundschu, Lagunitas Brewing Company, DC Prints, Irie Eyewear, Americas Bike Company and the Rocket Café as well as community members such as vineyard guru Phil Coturri.
“I’d like to start something new for the next generation so that there are other things going on. I know there are other festivals that are amazing, but this is something specifically for, let’s say under-40,” Kaplan said wryly, then added. “And free.”
The Sonoma Valley Green Music Festival runs from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 9 at Depot Park, 270 First St. W., Sonoma. For more information, visit svgreenmusicfestival.com. Free, secure bicycle parking is available. The festival is free to the public.