Re-Fest: The Festival That Turns Waste Into Something More

How Re-Fest Began

Re-Fest started as a small initiative to bring sustainable practices into everyday life. A group of locals founded it committed to waste reduction and community engagement. Leah Evans, the key organizer, helped shape it into an annual tradition that grows each year.

What began as a few small workshops has expanded into a large-scale event with dedicated spaces for repairing, swapping, selling, and repurposing. The festival attracts more participants each year who want to reduce waste in practical, creative ways. Vendors, artists, and local businesses now view Re-Fest as an opportunity to showcase their sustainable products and ideas.

What to Expect

The Re-Craft Market

The Re-Craft Market is a central part of Re-Fest, featuring vendors who create new items from old materials. Everything for sale is made with sustainability in mind—reclaimed wood furniture, clothing from repurposed fabric, and accessories crafted from recycled metals.

Shoppers find unique, handmade goods that reduce waste while supporting local artisans. Vendors often demonstrate their techniques, showing how discarded items can become valuable again. The market proves that upcycled products can be just as stylish, durable, and functional as new ones.

The Repair Café

Fixing broken items instead of replacing them saves money and keeps waste out of landfills. The Repair Café at Re-Fest gives people the chance to do just that. Volunteers with repair skills help attendees mend clothing, small appliances, bicycles, and more.

Many people lack the knowledge or tools to fix things themselves. At the Repair Café, they learn how to patch a torn jacket, rewire a lamp, or make an old backpack usable again. The event fosters a culture of repairing instead of discarding, making sustainability more accessible.

Workshops and Hands-On Learning

Re-Fest offers workshops for people who want to do more than browse or observe. Attendees weave climbing rope into rugs, turn wood scraps into bracelets, and learn to refurbish household items. Each workshop teaches a new way to repurpose materials that might otherwise be thrown away.

Participants leave with skills they can use year-round. Whether it's learning to sew, repurpose clothing, or upcycle furniture, these workshops provide practical knowledge that reduces waste long after the festival ends.

The Trashion Show

Fashion is one of the most wasteful industries, but Re-Fest flips the script with its Trashion Show. Participants create outfits entirely from repurposed materials—old curtains, scraps of denim, and discarded plastic packaging. The show highlights the creativity behind sustainable fashion and proves that reused materials can be stylish.

Designers and community members participate, making bold statements about consumption and waste. The event attracts audiences who might not otherwise think about sustainability in clothing, pushing them to consider alternatives to fast fashion.

Swap Events and the CSRD Trunk Sale

Re-Fest includes swap events where people can trade books, clothes, and outdoor gear. Instead of throwing out items they no longer need, attendees bring them to trade for something useful. These swaps reduce waste while helping people save money and find what they need without buying new ones.

The CSRD Trunk Sale operates like a large-scale garage sale. Participants sell items from the trunks of their cars, creating a community-driven marketplace for secondhand goods. The event keeps usable items in circulation instead of sending them to the landfill.

Challenges and Solutions

Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement

Re-Fest relies on volunteers for event setup, repair stations, and workshops. Organizers have tackled recruitment challenges by partnering with local organizations, launching early registration drives, and offering incentives such as free workshop access to volunteers.

Financial Sustainability

Funding is crucial for the festival's continued success. Re-Fest collaborates with sponsors like Patagonia, Tourism Revelstoke, and the Columbia Basin Trust to secure financial stability. Silent auctions and local fundraising efforts also help cover event costs while strengthening community involvement.

Looking Ahead

Enhanced Educational Outreach

Organizers plan to expand Re-Fest's reach by integrating sustainability topics into school programs and offering specialized workshops for businesses. The goal is to make waste reduction and upcycling part of everyday life, not just an annual event.

Infrastructure Development

Re-Fest is exploring partnerships to establish permanent community spaces dedicated to upcycling and repair activities. These locations would serve as year-round sustainability hubs, providing resources and skill-building opportunities beyond the festival itself.

Year-Round Sustainability Resources

Local Repair Services

Residents and visitors can access repair services from businesses like Sew Revy, U.S.E.D, Nataliia Maneliuk, and Judy's Designs. These shops specialize in clothing and gear repairs, helping extend the lifespan of everyday items.

Sustainable Transportation Options

Revelstoke encourages eco-friendly travel through its walkable downtown, bike-friendly routes, and the BC Transit Revelstoke Resort Shuttle. Electric vehicle charging stations are also available for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

Local Food Initiatives

The Revelstoke Local Food Initiative promotes sustainable eating through events, programs, and partnerships with local farmers. Supporting local agriculture helps reduce food waste and carbon emissions while strengthening the regional food system.

Take Action

Sustainability doesn't start and end with Re-Fest. Support upcycled goods, repair items instead of replacing them, and participate in local swap events. Use services like repair shops and sustainable transit options to make eco-conscious choices year-round. Small changes add up, and events like Re-Fest show that rethinking waste is possible for everyone.