Have you ever wondered if there is an event on campus where you can find good food, live music and square dancing all at once?
Yes, yes there is. FarmAde is a free festival that happens every September at the UBC farm and offers something for everyone. As one of the last events of AMS Firstweek, everyone from students to community members and their children show up.
This year, FarmAde happened on Friday, September 18. The cloudy skies didn’t materialize into rain, but the AMS had tents set up just in case. Turnout was slightly lower than last year – probably as a result of the colder weather – but there were still plenty of people.
Live musical acts included the Luke Wallace Band, Washboard Union and Shout!WhiteDragon. Perhaps not a typical line-dance lineup, the crowds – dressed in plaid and rainboots – were fully integrated into the FarmAde spirit.
One of the wonderful things about Farmade is the collaboration between student groups and the farm. A number of groups had booths set up such as Sprouts, UBC Brewing, the Student Environment Centre and UBCC350. This meant there were a lot of chances to find out about sustainability initiatives on campus and ways to get involved with them. Each group is heavily involved in sustainability initiatives at UBC.
The AMS had a barbecue and beer gardens with space in front of the stage for dancing. FarmAde offers something very different from bigger Firstweek events like the Welcome Back Barbecue, but shows another side of UBC that allows people to connect and appreciate a less-visited part of campus.
Tours were also available to learn more about the work the farm does and the importance of food sustainability.
“It’s one of my favourite events of the year. It’s just a really chill, fun night,” said Madelyn Dekerf, a fourth-year environmental geography student.
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