The 7th Beskids Good Energy Festival has already come to a close. The echoes of children cheering and the smiles of people participating in the many attractions organised as part of this year's event is what will remain in our memory.
The sun brightened the sky when, on the morning of June 9, 700 colourful biodegradable balloons were released by cheerful pre-schoolers at the Słowacki Park. We hosted as many as 28 pre-school groups, who were involved in this year's edition of the "Respect Energy, Protect the Climate" competition. The winners of this competition were announced, and the pre-schools with the best costumes were also awarded. As a reward, they will soon get the chance to play with LEGO bricks, TEIFOC bricks, or visit the Historical Museum at Sułkowski Castle. They will surely wait with bated breath for another edition of the festival when they remember their fascinating adventures with the heroes from the cartoons made at the Animated Film Studio, look at their souvenir photos with Reksio or the comic book "Bielski and Biała Save the City" which they received at the festival.
And how did primary and secondary school pupils spend their time at the festival?
Demonstrations of physical and chemical experiments, fantastic vegetable and fruit sculptures, bricklaying a good energy city, the demolition of old computers for parts, or controlling LEGO robots, fun with a bike-power station or electric labyrinth in the Interaction Park - are just a few of the attractions which were available under the festival tent. Everything has been immortalised by student photographers from the COR High School. As many as 50 high school students supported the event by volunteering: they prepared balloons, looked after the pre-schoolers, painted faces, photographed the participants and led the games in the so-called Retro-Backyard on the sports field. Volunteers also included several dozen students from Junior High School No. 11, mainly making sure that the festival posters reach every educational institution in the city and assisting during the Qualifications for the Polish Championship in board games which took place during the festival. Only thanks to this help was it possible for over 2,000 children and young people to attend the event. At the event, we also met the winners of the "Respect Energy, Protect the Climate" school competition, in which as many as 300 pupils participated.
The segment for residents, their families and friends also turned out exceptionally well.
This year, in addition to the traditional city game "Control the Energy", in which Bielsko families rival with each other in knowledge and physical fitness, there was also a family competition on the subject of knowledge about low-energy construction entitled "House that Brings Joy". The winners will spend a summer week in energy-saving apartments at the Baltic Seaside, funded by the owner and manufacturer of low-energy wood houses Gamebo-dom and Drew-Inwest.
In addition to all this, there was always something happening on the stage: the unbelievable illusions of Adrian Mitoraj, the barman juggling of European Master, Krzysztof Drabik, the dance acrobatics of the CUBANA Dance School and the Capoeira School of Martial Arts, energetic zumba under the eye of the renowned instructor, Irena Awieruszko-Ptaszkiewicz and the culinary show of healthy eating by Mark Zaremba, author of many books with millet in the lead role. The inflatable climbing wall with the assistance of coaches from Prima Roca was always occupied - there were queues of those willing to try their climbing skills all day long. Next to the tent visitors had the chance to check out the newest dustcart made by SUEZ S.A., see the model of the Waste Management Plant, sign up for a visit to the Bielsko-Biała thermal power plant at the Tauron Ciepło booth and become familiar with an electric "500" - a prototype car assembled in Bielsko-Biała's Bosmal. OxyTree - an oxygen tree, a model of a 4kWp home solar power plant and a model of a low-energy wooden house were presented at the park. In the evening, those interested could see how to economically and ecologically use good quality coal to heat a house, burning it without smoke - thanks to the creators of www.czysteogrzewanie.pl. The Silesian anti-smog resolution, which comes into force on 1 September, was reflected in a leaflet which had been specially prepared by the organizer of the festival, the Energy Management Office, entitled: "There’s a method for smog". You can also obtain one at the Bielsko-Biała Municipal Office.
The event went exceptionally well. Around 3-4 thousand participants visited the festival. The event was cheerful, interesting, instructive and delicious.
Visit us next year for the 8th edition of the Beskids Good Energy Festival.
