Green Festival Returns To NYC: Find Out More!

NEW YORK - April 19, 2015 - PRLog -- Now in its 14th year, the Green Festival Expo is attended by more than 21,000 New Yorkers and offers a vibrant, dynamic marketplace for innovative green products and services. During the weekend-long celebration of Earth Day, New Yorkers will have an opportunity to discover new, practical and easy ways to live healthier, more sustainable lives at Green Festival Expo with thousands of products offered by new brands, national and local businesses and pioneering thinkers in the sustainability field. The Green Festival Expo New York will be held in the North Hall of the Javits Convention Center, one of the world's busiest convention centers and host to leading conventions, trade and consumer shows and special events.

"Green Festival is pleased to be back in New York City and we are thrilled to welcome our 2015 speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, partners and attendees to the LEED Certified Javits Convention Center," said Dr. Corinna Basler, president of Green Festivals, Inc. "This year we are honored to not only be offering a wider selection of green and sustainable products and services, but we are happy to announce that our expo will be operating on clean energy through our new partnership with Arcadia Power."

Founded in early 2014, Arcadia Power is the first company to give customers and businesses across the country a simple way to choose clean energy. As a Green Festival partner and exhibiting sponsor, Arcadia Power will purchase clean energy on the grid to match Green Festival's usage through power purchase agreements, ensuring that an equal amount of energy is produced at pollution-free renewable facilities through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). Also as an extension of Green Festivals' commitment to being a zero-waste event, free admission will be offered to those who arrive by bicycle to the Javits Center, and use the Cono Sur Bike Valet. Partnering for the first time with Green Festival Expo, Cono Sur Vineyards and Winery is a zero-footprint vineyard committed to practicing sustainable agriculture.

For 2015, Green Festival will once again host the Green Festival Brand and Community Awards. Consumers and the public are now invited to vote online at Greenfestivals.org for their favorite brands and nonprofit organization. Through the Brand Award, Green Festival recognizes a leading innovator in sustainable business whose products are transforming the lives of consumers every day. Anyone who votes for their favorite green brands will be eligible for the chance to win the Super Green Shopper Prize, a gift basket of premium green products donated by exhibitors at Green Festival Expo. Additionally, the public can vote online or at the Green Festival Expo New York for their favorite nominated nonprofit organization to win the Green Festival Community Award, , which will provide a $5,000 grant to a local nonprofit using sustainable practices to improve the community.

In April, Green Festival New York attendees can discover and buy new sustainable and green products and services from more than 200 sponsors and exhibitors from fashion, body care, home and garden to transportation and renewable energy. Attendees will also be able to enjoy vegan, vegetarian, organic foods, hands-on demos, educational activities and learn from inspirational speakers. The expo will have pavilions and green-theme stages, such as the New York City Department of Education Sustainability Family Fun Pavilion with interactive educational activities and entertainment for kids; the Yoga Pavilion, featuring free yoga instruction and classes sponsored by OmFactory; and the Green Festival Stage and Lifestyle Pavilion featuring green business entrepreneurs, community leaders and environmental experts.

The Family Fun Stage at this year's Expo will be run in partnership with the NYC Department of Education (DOE). GrowNYC, Cafeteria Culture and Materials For the Arts, three citywide partners of DOE, will host recycling-themed arts & crafts activities, relay races, trivia and toss games for children of all ages. Earth Tones and the Chinese Cultural Center will also hold interactive theatrical and dance performances and invite families to participate.

Other programs and speakers confirmed for New York include:

Pay It Forward Labs will host their 'Expert DOJO' mentoring sessions with leaders in the sustainable business industry, who either own/owned or have been high-level executives in multi-million dollar businesses, such as: Elizabeth Berry, TEDx host and business development director at Inflexion Interactive; Hector Marcel, teacher and senior vice president of Learning & Change for John Foley Inc.; John Morgan, founder of a web media company serving charities around the world; and John Bates, CEO and founder of Executive Speaking Success & Business Consulting.

Antonio Saillant, actor, director and screenwriter, activist in greening the film industry, and Producer, Angel Light Pictures

Elizabeth Meer, conservation specialist for Governor Cuomo's office to discuss the State of New York's sustainability report

Eric Alterman, author and journalist with The Nation and the Center for America Progress to discuss Mayor de Blasio's efforts to solve the city's inequality crisis

Jeff Garner, fashion designer and artist, founder, Prophetik Clothing

Joy Bauer, nutrition and health expert on the NBC TODAY Show

Leslie Durso, celebrity chef, appeared on The Food Network, Discovery Channel

Ron Kamen, CEO of EarthKind Energy, a leader in the world of solar energy

Doors open on Friday, April 24, and the expo will run through Sunday at Javits Convention Center, 34th Street and the West Side Highway. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.greenfestivals.org. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the show. Cyclists who use the Green Festival Bike Valet and youth aged 16 and under are granted free admission. Discounts are offered for groups of 10 or more, students, seniors and veterans. All tickets provide access to exhibit floor, workshops, speakers and films.

Green Festival sponsors and partners include Volkswagen, Audi, CLIF Bar, Arcadia Power, Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery, Hope Foods, DotGreen Community, Inc., Chelsea Garden Center, Stromer USA, Vacation Reservation Center (VRC), Tripda, OmFactory, UpOut New York, Candle Caf, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Environment Furniture, Humane Society of New York, Z100, Q104.3 and WOR710 of iHeartMedia, Expert DOJO and Natural Awakenings Magazine NYC. National partners include Organic Spa Magazine, The Nation, Natural Solutions Magazine, Sierra Club, Green is Good Radio, Experience Life Magazine, Happy Cow, Epoch Times, Positive Impact Magazine, The Organic & Non-GMO Report, Women's Acrobat Radio, and Book Publishing Company.

More information: http://www.greenfestivals.org . For news and updates, follow Green Festival on Facebook and Twitter @GreenFestival.