The thunder roared…it rained, it hailed, and dozens of lightning bolts were seen energizing Redding’s skyline. Despite the crazy weather where mid June temperatures normally reach the upper 90s or even the century mark, it didn’t stop approximately 6,000 visitors from coming out to celebrate our community’s 8th Annual City of Redding Energy Fair & Solstice celebration at the world renowned Sundial Bridge on Saturday, June 21, 2008.

Redding Mayor Mary Stegall’s opening remarks reminded Energy Fair attendees why Redding Electric Utility (REU) hosts an annual Energy Fair. “The Redding community has always been a leader in promoting energy conservation and energy efficiency. Now, more so than ever, it is extremely important that we all do our part to be more efficient and conserve more energy. Today, the Redding community has a unique opportunity to learn more about energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy, all in one location, and all at our beautiful Sundial Bridge; enjoy your day Redding!”, said Mayor Stegall.

This year marked the first year Redding’s Energy Fair was not held at Redding’s City Hall Plaza and City officials were worried the venue change might negatively impact attendance. By mid-morning, the day of the event, those concerns were gone. Pat Keener, Energy Services Manager, whose division hosts this event each year, said “by far this was the best attended fair to date; seeing members of our community out exercising, learning about energy efficiency and conservation from more than 40 vendors, learning about renewable energies including solar and wind power, that was exciting; it was a great day and a wildly successful event.”

Hosting the Energy Fair at Redding’s Santiago Calatrava designed Sundial Bridge allowed event planners to integrate new elements into the Fair otherwise unavailable at the City Hall location. The Fair at the Bridge incorporated more vendors, Redding’s Turtle Bay Exploration Park and Museum, the Sacramento River and of course the Sundial Bridge. Local Energy Fairs are sprouting up all around the Country. Redding was among the first to host an Energy Fair during the California energy crisis of 2001, and the scope of Redding’s Fair continues to broaden each year. Today, Redding’s Energy Fair has grown to be so much more than just an Energy Fair and includes education on drought tolerant landscaping, wind and solar thermal energy technologies and water conservation; the Energy Fair has really become a much anticipated annual event for the entire Redding community. This year, planners and REU engineers integrated solar power into the overall energy plan for the event. The Fair, billed as a “Sun Powered” Energy Fair, fed exhibitors with 4,200 watts of grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) power, energizing power sipping products and displays. REU had big plans for this solar display after the Energy Fair. Before the Fair, REU invited local junior high and high schools to participate in a writing contest earning them a chance to win one of two 2,100 watt solar PV systems.

Redding schools were asked to submit a letter detailing why they felt their school deserved to win one of the solar PV systems. During the Energy Fair, REU announced the winners. Local middle school, Mountain View Middle School and area high school Shasta High were awarded the solar PV systems. The new “green energy” systems will be incorporated into both schools’ science departments’ curriculum and the students will participate in the design and installation process. REU’s primary goal for this contest is to assist our youth, through the education system, with learning more about various forms of renewable energy. The Summer Solstice coincided with this year’s Energy Fair. Redding’s Sundial Bridge is not only a work of art and pedestrian bridge, but it is also a working “sundial”. Although at the exact time of the Summer Solstice, the sky was cloudy and a light rain was falling, event planners formed a unique human line of attendees, symbolic of the absent shadow that would have otherwise been cast by Redding’s 217’ Sundial, the world’s largest sundial. It was terrific!