Cheshire’s Just So Festival has been awarded the ‘Sustainable Tourism’ Award at the 14th annual Marketing Cheshire Tourism Awards. The winners were announced last Thursday (September 13th) in an awards ceremony at Chester’s Carden Park Hotel.

This isn’t the first time the festival has been recognised for its green credentials. At the 2016 event the festival received a ‘Tourism Experience of the Year’ award. The judges for the prize made particular comment about Just So Festival’s pioneering approach to both accessibility and sustainability. The judges of the 2017 National Outdoor Events Association Awards made similar observations when they gave Just So Festival their ‘Best Practice Award’. As did the judges of the 2017 Northern Soul Awards, who bestowed the title of ‘Small Business of the Year’ upon the event’s organisers, Wild Rumpus.

Wild Rumpus’ commitment to sustainable practices informs every part of their business. The team works from a horsebox and tree house in woodland. Their office uses compost toilets and is lit by energy efficient LED lighting. All on site vendors use re-usable cups. The festival aims to reduce the use of fossil fuels by at least 50% before 2025 and they’re working with clean energy organisation Energy Revolution to offset the carbon from their audience’s travel to and from the festival.

Festival co-creator Rowan Hoban expressed her delight at the announcement: ‘We’re so grateful that Wild Rumpus’ commitment to sustainability has been recognised by Marketing Cheshire. The entire ethos of Just So Festival is to provide and promote world class family arts experiences in natural environments. The Cheshire landscape, particularly that of the Rode Hall Estate where we hold the festival, is deeply important to everyone on the team. Preserving and showcasing its beauty is central to everything we do.’

Adam Parry
Author: Adam Parry

Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.