People-powered happiness in Bristol
19 Jul 2012 | Happy City Initiative
This weekend's annual Bristol Harbour Festival is a celebration
of our city and a real crowdpleaser. This year the event has a
bold, new exciting story. It's powered by a tiny charity and oceans
of goodwill, and happening right on the waterfront - it's the
Happiness Zone.
In just 18 days and with a very low budget the Happy City
Initiative has created an entire programme of events at the
amphitheatre this weekend to inspire, involve and delight, and to
showcase how great feats can be accomplished by many people doing
small things.
"Creating this event in just over two weeks was a perfect
opportunity to highlight exactly what Happy City is about - as soon
as we accepted the challenge we knew we could show the
extraordinary power of collective action" says Happy City's Liz
Zeidler.
"We mobilised volunteers in a blink of an eye - hundreds came
forward, asked how they could help and just got on with it. This is
what people in Bristol can achieve, crowdsourcing in action - it's
really exciting. The whole thing will be a hands-on
interactive experience which also offers a glimpse of the future"
says Liz.
"There's a serious side to it as we show how community,
environmental and social justice work not only combine to bring
greater personal happiness, but also a stronger economy. There's no
reason why the serious stuff shouldn't also be fun.
"We've got a music stage under a solar powered geodome, some
amazing bands, a speakers' corner, a live art project, a street
party, kids' activities, food - the list goes on. You'd expect an
event this huge to cost a fortune but the message is loud and
clear. We can enjoy ourselves, celebrate our communities and work
together without consuming tons of 'stuff'. That's our mission in a
nutshell."
Other highlights include a "community inspirations" area teeming
with activities, talks and fun stuff; a garden area and chill
out zone; dancing and theatre pop-ups, and even a chocolate
love temple! So for a taste of what happiness is really about
make your way to the waterfront in Bristol, join the party and be
inspired.
Read more about what's planned here.
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About Happy City
Happy
City inspires, guides and supports people to increase and
sustain individual and community happiness. Happy City challenges
the mindset that says short-term consumption is the primary route
to happiness. Instead Happy City promotes a view of happiness that
focuses less on what we have, and more on what we do and how we are
together. Happiness. It's not fluffy. It's radical.
For more information, contact: Mike Zeidler 07836 706978
Tags:
Look for what's good, Local community