EcoFest celebrates convergence of environment and art

CEDAR RAPIDS - Even though EcoFest is usually held on Earth Day, the planet didn't cooperate in recent years.

Rain beset the first EcoFest in 2010, and last year's attempt was hampered by snow, despite the late April date.

But despite threatening clouds, the weather stayed cool and clear Saturday for the downtown Cedar Rapids celebration of art and the environment.

Organizers decided to focus this year's celebration in the New Bohemia neighborhood, specifically along Third Street SE between Ninth and Twelfth avenues SE. In previous years events were spread out on both sides of the river, but organizer Mike Wyrick said the tighter setup made it more clear to attendees what was going on.

One of the goals of EcoFest is to inspire new people to take up an interest in protecting the environment, Wyrick said.

“One of the biggest problem environmentalists have is that we're frequently preaching to the choir,” he said.

The event cast a wide net in bringing together green-minded locals and demonstrating some of their projects. Exhibits and displays ranged from the practical, such as rooftop tours of the “green roof” at the Water Tower Place apartments, to the beautiful, like the Glass Art Centre's demonstrations of recycled glass blowing.

The glass blowers were one of the hottest attractions of the day, drawing a crowd in front of CSPS as the assembled artisans melted down old pieces of glass at a temperature of more than 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, to be re-formed into new creations. John Krizon, one of the Glass Art Centre's organizers, said he was hoping to raise awareness of the work of his fellow artists to help secure a permanent studio space.

“We recently lost our primary patron and are looking for a new one,” he said.

The biggest attraction of the day, according to Wyrick, was an event last night organized by Ironhead Sculptural Services at the Matyk Building. Volunteers spent all day Saturday melting down old pieces of iron to pour into a sculpture mold in front of a live audience with musical accompaniment.

“It's definitely the best thing going on; we've never had anything like this before,” Wyrick said.