2016 Life Outside Festival by the Numbers

June 11, 2016 was a beautiful day for the first annual Life Outside Festival! Everyone involved was thrilled with the number of people who came out to see, try and learn new ways of exploring and enjoying the outdoors!

The event brought together local and regional retailers, nonprofits, agencies and clubs to showcase a wide variety of outdoor activities. People of all ages and abilities had the chance to try tree climbing, yoga, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, as well as other things to do outside.

Local bands such as Funky Butt Brass Band and River Bend performed music throughout the day, and festival attendees enjoyed food and drink from area food trucks.

Here’s a recap of the 2016 Life Outside Festival by the Numbers:

2,000 people attended the inaugural festival
750 solar eclipse glasses distributed
250 people climbed the American Elm and Bur Oak trees
200 snow cones eaten
150 people practiced yoga sun salutations
48 organizations hosted outdoor activities
31 kayaks, canoes and paddleboards used for demos and races
9 bird species identified on the bird walks
6 local bands performed
350 lbs. of waste recycled (mostly plastic water bottles and cardboard)
182 lbs. of waste composted (mostly certified-compostable service ware)
105 lbs. of waste sent to landfill (mostly polystyrene plastic utensils)
84% of total event waste diverted from landfill