DAVIS, Calif. — After 70 years, the Davis Whole Earth Festival almost didn’t happen this year.
Organizers were left scrambling at the last minute to find a new venue after their usual spot on the UC Davis Campus is currently occupied by a pro-Palestine student protest.
The student run Whole Earth Festival is celebrating sustainability and the arts but looks different this year.
Beth Karo has been selling her homemade tie dye here for 30 years.
“We are always the first booth after the food booth on the west quad,” said Karo.
But this year there’s something else occupying the quad.
A student run pro Palestine encampment took over the area Monday with no intentions of leaving.
The festival posted on their social media earlier this week announcing the new location at Russell Field.
Emma Mele one of the student co-organizers said they are thankful to the community for sticking with them while they figured it out.
“Just in consideration of the encampments, we didn’t want to intrude on that space,” said Mele.
The festival is run by UC Davis students who say they want to be respectful of the protesters.
“I understand fully the need to be in a central disruptive-type location to make an effective protest,” said Karo.
The previous location on the quad offered shade, access to building for air conditioning breaks, restrooms.
“I am concerned about access for disable people or different abled people, people pushing strollers I think everyone wishes we were where we were,” said Karo.
With warm temperatures this weekend organizers created shade areas, brought in water trucks for refill stations and portable bathrooms.
Carrie Redford the creator of Joy Road Jewelry has been attending the festival since 2015.
"I just knew we were going to be out in full sun and it’s going to be hot,” said Redford.
But overall vendors are thankful the event was able to pivot quickly to a new venue
“I was scared, this is how I bring in most of my income,” said Redford.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and until 5 p.m. Sunday.
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