While tapping my toes to the sweet notes of blues musician Sugar Brown, the last thing on my mind was my empty water bottle. As I danced to the Porn Flakes in Place Saint- Bernard I wasn’t calculating how much waste the Tremblant International Blues Festival generates. But if I had paused in advance of Mike Gaudreau’s performance at Scene Casino to ponder garbage generated by travelers, the sustainable tourism initiatives of Quebec’s Tremblant Resort Association would have had me kicking up my heels.
The festival attracts thousands each summer to Quebec’s Mont Tremblant with more than 100 musical events over ten days. Festival organizers recycle signage from year to year, minimize handouts by putting event schedules online and on large signs, encourage walking by grouping events in the pedestrian village and keep the gondola working into the evening.
Organizers also reduce food waste through their ‘green squad’. These keen volunteers hover near garbage cans and in food courts – not the first place I usually look for music lovers – and help visitors sort their food waste so little goes into the garbage. There are also gentle reminders from the stage to think of the environment. “Our emcees often remind our visitors of many possible green initiatives that can be taken on site,” explained Linda Lloyd, Director of Operations, Tremblant Resort Association on how sustainability initiatives permeate the event.
The festival is a certified eco-responsible event by Conseil québécois des événements écoresponsables and has moved to a Level 2 rating as staff green more festival activities. The biggest sustainability challenge is reducing carbon emissions for artists’ air travel. With the need for international performers this facet is daunting but in other areas, progress is impressive. As part of the certification process all garbage from the event is gathered, sorted and weighed. In 2016, only a few bags of garbage went to the landfill! Now that is something to sing about.
If you go:
Mont Tremblant International Blues Festival happens 7 to 16, 2017
Stay within walking distance of most events at Westin Resort & Spa
Slip away from the crowds for a drink at the uber hip Le P’Tit Caribou ptitcaribou.com/en/
For information on the festival or its sustainability initiatives, contact Annick Marseille amarseille@intrawest.com
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