Larry Dolphin introduces Gukaoo to people as he walks around RE-Fest last year at Riverland Community College. Herald file photo

Austin residents and environmental enthusiasts will converge to celebrate and learn about recycling, renewable energy, and saving money by energy conservation at this year’s RE-Fest. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 14 at the Mower County Fairgrounds.

Many old favorites are back this year. The RE-Fest ride, which was new to the festival last year, will be here again. Participants can choose from a 5, 10, or 50 mile bike ride. Money raised will generate scholarship funds for Riverland’s wind turbine program. The cost is $25 per person and $50 per family up to four people.

Electronic recycling will return this year, after taking a hiatus last year. The service will be free, but donations are accepted and will go towards a solar project at Austin High School. Document shredding will also be available.

Children will have the opportunity to see animals, puppets, and magic at the children’s stage throughout the course of the day. There will also be a solar carnival, which has rides powered by the sun.

The Solar Stage will host a RE-Fashion show, cooking demos, the Austin Big Band, and keynote speaker, Natalie Warren.

She, along with her friend Ann Raiho, were the first two women to paddle 2,000 miles from Minneapolis to the Hudson Bay.

“The keynote is something we’re really excited about,” said Larry Dolphin, executive director of the Nature Center. “It’s an excellent presentation and it’ll be fun for people to see that.”

Vendors and artisans will also be at the festival selling locally grown food and hand crafted products.

“It’s all about living lightly on the planet,” Dolphin said.

Schedule by stage

Solar stage

11:30 a.m. — Welcome to RE-fest

noon, music: Austin Big Band

12:30 p.m. — Cooking demo No. 1

1 p.m., Hudson Bay bound with Natalie Warren

1:15 p.m. — Music: Austin Big Band

1:45 p.m. — Cooking demo No. 2

2:15 p.m. — Re-Fashion show

2:45 p.m. — Cooking demo No. 3

3:15 p.m. — Music: Austin Big Band

Children’s stage

11:15 a.m. — Larry Dolphin: snake and owl Expo

11:45 a.m. — Jim Jayes: magic and puppet show

12:15 p.m. — David Stokes: naturalist and humorist

1:15 p.m. — Interactive story with a librarian

2 p.m. — Jim Jayes: magic and puppet show

2:30 p.m. — David Stokes: naturalist and humorist

3 p.m. — Jim Jayes: magic and puppet show

3:30 p.m. — David Stokes: naturalist and humorist

Indoors/workshops

11 a.m. — Refreshed dining — Mower Refreshed

11:15 a.m. — Easy way to solar — Greenman’s

11:30 a.m. — Daisy Blue Naturals

11:45 a.m. — CRWD river restoration projects

1:30 p.m. — Hudson Bay bound with Natalie Warren