This year’s sixth annual Envision Tucson Sustainable Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., October 16, at the YWCA. The free, family-friendly event is dedicated to promoting all aspects of sustainability in Tucson and Southern Arizona. The event will feature local organizations and companies with exhibits on a wide range of key sustainability issues.

Some will be demonstrating applicable sustainability skills in action, and many will present hands-on activities for all ages. Following along the theme of energy efficiency, there’ll be demonstrations of solar cooking, showing a creative collection of solar ovens. The annual Green School Recognition will honor a local school providing education and actions promoting sustainability, including a school garden.

There will also be a series of speakers, including an introduction to local and native foods, and local food will be available for purchase. The festival strives for a waste-free event, so there’ll be recycling and composting stations around the site. Plenty of free parking is available, but people are also encouraged to come by bike, and take advantage of bike valet parking.

Location: 525 N. Bonita Ave., Tucson. For more information, visit EnvisionTucsonSustainable.org and find Envision Tucson Sustainable Festival on Facebook.