Meet one of the great minds behind Circle the Wagons staged at University District this year: organizer Baran Faber. His other hats include BassBus YYC founder, innovator and all-around awesome Calgarian!
Answer: Both are engaging, ever-changing and community first! Circle the Wagons is a travelling carnival and University District is a spectacular landing pad. Festivals like this can have amazing community impact. Hosting it at University District, a budding new community, is fitting and a great way to introduce Calgarians to somewhere new. Each year we host Circle the Wagons, patrons time and time again say ‘I never knew this place existed in Calgary! It’s beautiful!’ Our goal with Circle the Wagons is also to raise money to put back into the community and further community initiatives and cultural programs for years to come. This year we are proud to be supporting causes in Varsity, University Heights and Montgomery.
A: When we first sat down with the University District team, many synergies were immediately clear.
University District is developing a mindfully made community that integrates many of the core values that Circle the Wagons does into our festival. Sustainability is important for both groups, taking into consideration social, fiscal and environmental responsibilities.
University District is developing a site plan that integrates alternate modes of transportation including walking, cycling, driving and public transit. We are excited about contributing towards a community that embraces local arts, culture and recreation. Having University District collaborate with us to showcase an eclectic festival, which accommodates the Calgary lifestyle just works.
To help build an environment which allows Calgarians to fully experience what the city has to offer in a mindful way is monumental.
As festival producers we strive for balance and accessibility in our events, and as we lend our hands in laying down a groundwork for the new community, we are proud that University District is fully aligned in our long-term vision for giving back to the lives who make Calgary shine.
We know first-hand how hard this city works, and how little time we all have to enjoy #YYC to its fullest! Together we will be able to enhance the urban lifestyle in Calgary, which is an opportunity like no other.
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