Benzie County Water Festival returns

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BENZIE COUNTY WATER FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Saturday, April 14 at Frankfort-Elberta High School

10 a.m. — Watershed panel

11 a.m. — Watershed breakout session

12 p.m. — Local food lunch, music by the Fauxgrass Quartet

12-4:30 p.m. — Children’s activities

1:30 p.m. — Entrepreneurial business panel

2:30 p.m. — Entrepreneurial breakout session

3:30 p.m. — Speakers James Olson and Keith Schneider — Global Development and the Great Lakes

4:30 p.m. — Pizza dinner by SEEDS

6 p.m. — State of the Watersheds address

7 p.m. — Music: Song of the Lakes

10 p.m. — Afterglow at the Cabbage Shed with the Fauxgrass Quartet

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Benzie County Water Festival is this Saturday, April 14. Special to the Record-Eagle

April 13, 2012

Benzie County Water Festival returns

By MARK URBAN murban@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Fri Apr 13, 2012, 07:29 AM EDT

FRANKFORT — Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore attracted a lot more visitors when it was named the "Most Beautiful Place in America" in a Good Morning America contest.

That impact on the region and its resources is the theme of the second annual Benzie County Water Festival. "Come Softly, Stand Firmly: Understanding the responsibilities of being the most beautiful place in America" is the focus of Saturday's event, which begins at 10 a.m. at Frankfort-Elberta High School.

"We reached out to a pretty diverse group of people that we think could answer the questions that the general community would have," said Water Festival co-chair Josh Stoltz. "We have farmers, we have journalists ... just in general talking about the economics that happens in a community that starts getting more people.

"Where does that money come from and where is it going?" co-chair Jordan Bates added.

The inaugural event drew more than 300 visitors. Organizers expect to exceed that, partly by moving the event back nearly a month from last year's date.

"I think we'll have easily as many people as we had last year," Stoltz said. "We've confirmed 24 different exhibitors and nonprofits from the area. Last year we had a dozen, maybe 15."

The Water Festival opted for panel discussions this year over workshops.

"We learned a lot from last year and we took feedback in from the community from those that attended and even some organizations that we think highly of," Stoltz said. "We think this year that the panels might be a great way for us to present in a more informational way instead of a teaching situation."

Panel topics focus on Benzie County's three watersheds, along with an entrepreneurial business panel on "Why northern Michigan?" Speakers James Olson, an evironmental attorney in Traverse City, and journalist Keith Schneider will give a presentation entitled "Global Development and the Great Lakes."

There will be children's activities from noon to 4:30 p.m., highlighted by a live amphibian display sponsored by the Benzie Conservation District.

"There will be frogs and lizards and all sorts of stuff," Bates said. "Plus you can feed them crickets. It's a great display."

Lunch will be provided by Narrow Gauge Forge and Farm. The Benzie SEEDS program will cook pizza in their "mobile laboratory" for dinner.

All of the events at the school are free, though donations are accepted.

"We're a nonprofit so all the donations will go to bring in more speakers, more music and more unique events to Benzie County." Bates said.