Rainwater Revival Offers Expert Advice on Capturing Bounty from the Sky

When will it rain? It may be sooner or it may be later, but In Texas, according to an old saying, when it rains it never stops and when it stops it never rains. When the rains come, you can be ready to collect sweet water from the sky and use it for all or part of your home, ranch and landscape needs.

At the 2nd Annual Rainwater Revival set for October 8 in Dripping Springs, you will learn how easy it can be for everyone – an average homeowner, business owner or ranchland manager – to capture and enjoy the benefits of rainwater. You’ll have delicious, pure water, save money and take pressure off ground and surface waters that are in high demand and diminishing supply.

The lineup of speakers at the Rainwater Revival 2011 will educate and inspire – with topics including Rainwater Harvesting 101, Designing and Building for Rainwater, the Water/Energy Nexus, Installing your Own System, and Making Your Own Rain Barrels. State Rep. Doug Miller and representatives from two key state agencies will provide an update on how State and local governments are supporting and encouraging rainwater capture.

“We’ve got a great roster of speakers to learn from in between visiting vendor booths and exhibits, listening to music and enjoying food and drink, including rainwater,” said Karen Ford, a Dripping Springs marketing executive and event organizer. “I think people will be fascinated by J. David Bamberger, founder of the Bamberger Ranch Preserve, who took degraded ranch land and restored it beautifully. His presentation, entitled ‘Holding Water on the Land’ should interest anyone with a large piece of property or a small yard.”

Attendees will also hear and learn from a panel of homeowners who live comfortably and completely on collected rainwater. The Rainwater Revival is designed to help everyone get the most from free water from the sky and what to expect if it doesn’t rain for a while.

“It surprises people to learn how far a little rain can go in filling up a collection system,” Ford said. “Many people who live entirely on rainwater have had to purchase little or no supplemental water through recent droughts.”

The Rainwater Revival is from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, October 8, at Roger Hanks Park on Highway 290 West in Dripping Springs. Admission is free. More information about the speakers and the award-winning event is at www.rainwaterrevival.com.


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Media contacts:

Laureen Chernow, 512.393.2296; laureen.chernow@co.hays.tx.us

Kathi Thomas, 512.479.9H2O; info@rainwaterrevival.com

RAINWATER REVIVAL A ROUSING SUCCESS

An estimated 1,000 rainwater harvesting enthusiasts poured into Dripping Springs on Saturday, October 9 for the inaugural event celebrating collection, conservation and common sense

Dripping Springs, TX – October 13, 2010 – Rainwater harvesting professionals and enthusiasts, along with the water conservation curious, converged on Dripping Springs, Texas on Saturday, October 9 for the inaugural Rainwater Revival. The festive outdoor event drew an estimated 1,000 visitors who enjoyed expert presentations, unique shopping opportunities, live music, kids’ crafts, and more. The event’s much buzzed about rain barrel art auction succeeded in raising thousands of dollars which will be awarded to a Hays County school or class for a water conservation project.

“Whether organizer, volunteer, vendor, presenter, sponsor, or attendee we know it is always a leap of faith when it comes to an inaugural event, and we can’t thank enough those who made that leap for the Rainwater Revival,” said Hays County Commissioner Karen Ford, who spearheaded the event as part of the Hays County Water Conservation Working Group. “Because turnout for the event exceeded even our most hopeful expectations, enthusiasm for a 2011 Rainwater Revival began very early Saturday and has continued to grow.”

For those unable to attend the event, the Hays County Water Conservation Working Group will have rainwater harvesting information available on their new website at rainwaterhayscounty.org. Watch for details coming soon on how a Hays County school or class can apply for the rain barrel art auction funds for a water conservation project.

RAIN BARRELS ROUNDED UP AND READY FOR SATURDAY!

The rain barrels on the art trail have been rounded up, are stashed in a secret location, and ready for the Rainwater Revival tomorrow! The auction starts at 1PM but don't miss a minute of the Revival! Get the complete schedule here.

RAINWATER REVIVAL SET TO OVERFLOW WITH FUN, INFORMATION, MUSIC AND MORE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

Inaugural event celebrates conservation in a festive Hill Country setting with a stellar line-up of speakers, musicians, kids’ crafts, shopping, and rain barrel art auction

Dripping Springs, TX – October 1, 2010 – Rainwater harvesting professionals and enthusiasts, along with the water conservation curious, are set to converge on Dripping Springs, Texas on Saturday, October 9 from 10am – 5pm for the Rainwater Revival. The festive outdoor event featuring live music, expert presentations, kids’ crafts, shopping, rain barrel art auction, food, and more will be held at Roger Hanks Park, conveniently located just over 1 mile west of the intersection of Highway 290 and Ranch Road 12. Admission to the Rainwater Revival is free.

Along with a stellar roster of rainwater harvesting experts sharing their knowledge and advice, the Rainwater Revival promises a terrific music line-up with Austin favorites The Derailers, as well as Bob Livingston’s Cowboys & Indians, whose “country ‘n eastern” music will entrance attendees with songs and yodels from Texas, and ragas and chants from India. Kid favorite, the award-winning performer Joe McDermott, will keep the young set rocking. More fun than playing in the rain will be playing at the Raindrop Stop, where kids will be able to express their creativity at the (rain)watercolor painting station and with Rain Refrains poetry, while their scientific minds learn more about water conservation with Aquifer in a Cup.

Having created a buzz from Austin to Australia, the now famous rain barrel art trail will find its final destination at the Rainwater Revival, when the six fully functional 55-gallon recycled rain barrels beautifully transformed by local artists are auctioned off at the event. Proceeds from the barrel auction will be awarded to a Hays County school or class for a water conservation project.

Thanks to a tide of early buzz, the inaugural Rainwater Revival sold out of vendor booth space. Shoppers will have the opportunity to browse, learn more about, and buy a variety of rainwater harvesting-related items, as well as check out unique and eco-friendly items from vendors such as Alamo Organics and Green Living Everyday. Fleegal Farms will be on hand with loads of natural, healthy soaps and skincare, and rising fashion star Rancho Ojo de Agua will have a selection of their acclaimed purses, dresses, and more created from repurposed feed bags. PAWS Shelter and Humane Society will be setting up shop with their four-legged friendly “Re-tails” Boutique, and the Boling Gallery will offer a smart selection of low water-use plants. Landscape designers and builders will also be on hand to share their expertise and services.

Thanks to a first of its kind collaboration, the Rainwater Revival will feature a complete and functioning rainwater harvesting system -- right down to delicious drinking water -- constructed on-site just for the event. And, in the eco-friendly spirit, Recon Services will be set up at the Rainwater Revival with a recycling trailer accepting cans, glass, plastic, paper and cardboard.

To plan your Rainwater Revival day, visit www.RainwaterRevival.com for the complete schedule of speakers, musical performances, and other events.

RAINWATER RAIN BARREL ART TRAIL

The rain barrel art trail has been announced and these beautiful but functional works art must be seen to believed! Get the trail details on rainwaterrevival.com.

A rain barrel on the art trail! "Nemo" by artist Susan Remerscheid is in the Buda Public Library.

RAIN BARREL ART

Inspired by her bumper crop of peppers, Melodie Greider of Stick Horse Studios created this masterpiece "Agua Caliente". Rain barrel trail details revealed on September 1st and all barrels will be auctioned off at the event on October 9th. Thanks again to Wesley Gallery for donating the paint and to Green Water for donating the barrels.

RAINWATER REVIVAL ANNOUNCES SPEAKER AND LIVE MUSIC LINE-UP

Celebration of collection, conservation, and common sense will be raining knowledge, music, and fun in Dripping Springs, Texas on October 9

Dripping Springs, TX – August 20, 2010 – The Rainwater Revival today announced the speaker and live music line-up for this outdoor festival created to celebrate the timeless conservation practice of rainwater collection. Professionals and enthusiasts will converge just outside of Austin in Dripping Springs, Texas on Saturday, October 9, 2010 to learn from rainwater harvesting experts Alan Rossing, Billy Kniffen, Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Chuck Lemmond, Marianne Simmons, Richard Heinichen, Kasey Mock, and Bryan Davis. The day will also have a musical flair with live performances by The Derailers, Bob Livingston’s Cowboys & Indians, and kid favorite Joe McDermott. Admission to the Rainwater Revival is free. The event will take place on the grounds of Roger Hanks Park in Dripping Springs, Texas.

The Rainwater Revival promises something for every level of rainwater harvesting knowledge, from the rainwater curious to ardent rainwater enthusiasts.
“We could not be more pleased with our roster of speakers, many of whom are not only rainwater pioneers, but also conservation celebrities who have been covered from local media to the New York Times and even Gourmet,” said Hays County Commissioner Karen Ford, who has spearheaded the event.

With Dripping Springs just a stone’s skip from the “Live Music Capital of the World’ no event would be complete without stellar live music and the Rainwater Revival will not disappoint. The music of The Derailers, a favorite Austin band with a loyal following, celebrates the legacies of Buck Owens, George Jones, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich, and the Beatles, while still being on the edge of today’s country music. Bob Livingston’s Cowboys & Indians are a truly unique collective of local musicians, using indigenous instruments, mixed themes, influences, rhythms, instrumentation, and insights from both East and West. With songs and yodels from Texas, and ragas and chants from India, Cowboys & Indians are pioneers of “country 'n eastern music.” And the kids will be rocking to the beat when Parents’ Choice Award winner, singer/songwriter, and “maestro of the imagination” Joe McDermott takes the stage.

Rainwater Revival festivities will kick off at 10:00AM on Saturday, October 9 and conclude at 5:00PM. The official schedule of speakers and musical performances will be posted before the event at www.RainwaterRevival.com.

More about the Rainwater Revival
A brainstorm of the Hays County Water Conservation Working Group, the Rainwater Revival supports the mission to spread the good word on rainwater harvesting and water conservation, the importance of which grows with our ever increasing population.

In addition to a roster of speakers providing an experienced cross-section of rainwater collection knowledge, and a stellar musical line-up, the Rainwater Revival will feature food booths, shopping, kids’ crafts, and a collection of 55-gallon recycled rain barrels transformed into works of art by local artists. The barrels will be displayed around Hays County during the weeks leading up to the Rainwater Revival and then auctioned off at the event.

For the most up to date information on the Rainwater Revival, visit the event’s official website at www.RainwaterRevival.com or follow the event at www.facebook.com/rainwaterrevival.

RAIN BARREL ART

Dripping Springs, Texas artist Julie Speir has unveiled our the first artistically transformed rain barrel! The Rainwater Revival will have an art trail of painted rain barrels around the area before the event. Enjoy this sneak peek of her artistically transformed and gorgeous, nature-inspired rain barrel. And for the latest Rainwater Revival updates, be sure to follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/rainwaterrevival.

NEWS RELEASE: RAINWATER REVIVAL POURS INTO DRIPPING SPRINGS ON OCTOBER 9, 2010

Celebration of collection, conservation, and common sense brings together rainwater harvesting professionals and enthusiasts in a fun, informative, and festive Texas Hill Country atmosphere this fall

Dripping Springs, TX – July 19, 2010 – From the seven hills of ancient Rome to today’s Texas Hill Country, rainwater collection has spanned the globe and the ages. To celebrate this timeless conservation practice, rainwater collection professionals and enthusiasts will converge just outside of Austin in Dripping Springs, Texas on Saturday, October 9, 2010 for the Rainwater Revival. The festive day will be filled with informative and entertaining presentations by professionals and users of rainwater, water conservation-related business vendor booths, rainwater system displays, and plenty of experts to provide guidance and services. There will also be food and drink booths, live music, and more.

A brainstorm of the Hays County Water Conservation Working Group, the Rainwater Revival supports the mission to spread the good word on rainwater harvesting and water conservation, the importance of which grows with our ever increasing population.

Hays County Commissioner Karen Ford, who has spearheaded the event, sees the daily impact of the growing population on the county’s water supply, but is encouraged by the diversity of volunteers, sponsors, and vendors who have rallied to the Rainwater Revival cause.

“No matter what your age, education, or political affiliation, we all need water to survive and thrive,” says Ford. “An almost endless resource has been available to us for time eternal, we just need to look upward.”

In addition to a roster of speakers providing an experienced cross-section of rainwater collection knowledge, the Rainwater Revival will feature a collection of 55-gallon recycled rain barrels transformed into works of art by local artists. The barrels will be displayed around Hays County during the weeks leading up to the Rainwater Revival and then auctioned off at the event.

Admission to the Rainwater Revival is free. The event will take place on the grounds of Roger Hanks Park in Dripping Springs, Texas. Festivities will kick off at 10:00AM and conclude at 5:00PM.

For the latest information on the Rainwater Revival, including speaker, sponsor, and vendor information visit the event’s official website at rainwaterrevival.com.

REPORT: WATER USE IN TEXAS INCREASES DRAMATICALLY IN THE SUMER

The National Wildlife Federation and the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club released a joint report on outdoor water use in 18 Texas cities. The report found that water use in these cities increases an average of 58 percent during July, August and September when compared to winter use. The report recommends seven efficiency measures that have a proven track report at reducing landscaping water use including rainwater harvesting. Read more about the report (plus link to report) on eponline.com.