The Berea Rain Barrel Festival makes a splash for water conservation

Sponsored by Sustainable Berea, the Berea Rain Barrel Festival proved to be a huge success last Saturday, with approximately 2,500 people coming out to Memorial Park to learn about water conservation, enjoy local food and live music, and to look at more than 60 rain barrels painted by various artists, non-profit organizations, clubs, schools, youth groups, and churches. The Festival was designed to not only raise awareness about water conservation, but also to serve as a venue where anyone could be an artist and paint a barrel.

Among the barrel artists were Toby and Harold Wilcher, along with their daughter Zoe Wilcher, and their grandchildren, Cloe and Magnolia Clark, and Lenore Fisher, who together painted the rain barrel representing the KFTC Madison County chapter. The KFTC barrel was sold for $95 in a silent auction, with Krista and Randall Carter placing the winning bid. After learning whose barrel she and her husband had purchased, Krista said that their fourth-grade daughter had taken part in a school field trip to Frankfort in January that was hosted by KFTC and that she was glad to know she bought a barrel supporting a good cause.

Because the KFTC barrel sold in the silent auction, 100% of the proceeds will go back to the organization. For the live auction, 75% of the proceeds will go to the group or person who painted the barrel, with 25% going to help cover costs of the event. In addition to painted barrels, there were 72 unpainted barrels sold by Sustainable Berea, and 119 people placed themselves on a waiting list to purchase a barrel.

Rain barrels are designed with a screen on top for the gutter pipe to drain into. Water that comes from the roof and is captured in gutters during rainfalls then drains into the barrel, providing a free source of water for gardens and other outdoor water needs. Using rain barrels not only promotes water conservation, but also serves as a good way to save money and as a source of water during a drought.

While the rain barrels were the main attraction, several organizations set up booths at the Festival to promote other sustainability and environmental issues. Madison County KFTC members tabled at the Festival and had more than 50 people fill out postcards about mountaintop removal to send to Gov. Steve Beshear. Members also gave out dozens of newsletters and were busy talking to interested folks who stopped by. Three new members joined KFTC at the Festival, and $150 was raised through donations and sales of t-shirts.