MEDIA ALERT
“Be My Florentine – Picnic in the Park” this Saturday afternoon. 1pm – 6pm. Saturday 14th February. Princes Park – (“The Boat Park”) – Salamanca Place, Hobart. Free Community Event

Want to share the love this Valentines Day? Then the “Be My Florentine – Picnic in the Park” is a great opportunity to get out amongst the community, be entertained by music, circus performances and speakers and show your love for Tasmania’s forests.

Often the forest debate in Tasmania is portrayed as being negative and conflict based. What we forget is that there are many positives to the forest campaign – and a huge community of great people from all walks of life who work actively in their homes, workplaces and communities to promote a broader more environmentally sustainable vision for our future.

The “Be my Florentine – Picnic in the Park” is about celebrating this fact, and invites people to come together, put aside any differences and share the love this Valentines Day!

“To be involved in forest protection or environmentalism isn’t just about locking on to machinery or protesting,” said event coordinator Nicole Pietsch.

“There is a whole range of things people can do to raise awareness about the need to protect our old growth forests, help care for our environment and to reduce their own environmental footprint. Hundreds, indeed thousands of Tasmanians across the state including land care groups, schools, and community groups are actively working towards promoting a greater care for the environment. This is inspiring stuff and we all need to find new ways to inspire each other and others to help do their bit and protect our local environment.” said Nicole Pietsch

There is a spectacular entertainment line up including acts recently seen at the Tasmanian Circus Festival including the Card Man plus from local performers Dusky, and Yolena Tu Tu plus music from local and interstate artists including Nick Mercer, Billy Whims, P.Chi, Old Girls Revenge, John Goodall and Queen Billy Shine. Speakers include Professor Jamie Kirkpatrick (UTas), Margaret Steadman (Sustainable Living Tasmania), Cassy O Conner (The Greens) and Ula Majewski (Still Wild Still Threatened).

“With current climate change predictions it’s hard to not feel disempowered by the enormity of the environmental and social challenges that we may face in the future. What we need to remember is that the future is not yet written, and that we all have a role to play in creating a new vision.” said Nicole Pietsch.

The message from Picnic in the Park is ” We love our forests! We love our earth so lets all find new ways to work together and create an environmentally sustainable and prosperous future for us all.” said Nicole Pietsch.

Picnic in the Park is a free community event, and all performers and organisers have volunteered their time to make the event possible. Participants are invited to dress up, wear red and bring a picnic rug and blanket to enjoy the afternoon’s activities. No alcohol please.

For comment: Nicole Pietsch. Huon Valley Environment Centre 04293339690

The Picnic in the Park is part of a two day Be My Florentine Event Program. The Other events include:

Friday 13th February

Festival launch & Art Exhibition Opening – 6pm

Art, Food, Bar, Sunflower Syco, Roving Performances

The Polish Club

20 Newtown Road, Newtown

Be My Florentine Friday 13th Cabaret 8pm

The Polish Club

20 Newtown Road, Newtown

$10/$8 concession

Dress theme: Burlesque!

with:

The Muddy Turds

Circus Horrificus

We are the Kicks Unplugged

Caravan of Dooom

Steve Smart

Vamp

No Nuke Nancy

The Florentina Lumberjills

Mean Francine

Miasma Belly Dance

Be My Florentine Beauty Pageant

DJ Fade In Fade Out

MC Miss Soda

Saturday 14th February

“Be My Florentine – Finale” 8pm

The Loft – Liverpool Street

$10/$8 concession

with:

Nick Mercer

Old Girls Revenge

Dougy Sparrow

Scripts for Sidewalks

Barons of Tang

Still Wild Still Threatened is a grassroots community organisation campaigning for the immediate protection of Tasmania’s ancient forests and the creation of an equitable and environmentally sustainable forestry industry in Tasmania.

www.stillwildstillthreaatened.org
[email protected] www.myspace.com/stillwildstillthreatened
PO Box 295. South Hobart TAS 7004