Environmentally rooted yet undeniably artistically focused, Visions of the Wild festival is difficult to define as a singular thing.
For the past decade, the annual two-day event has been attracting local residents with film screenings, art exhibits, interactive events and talks focusing on different aspects of nature. But despite its popularity, staff members struggle to answer one question: “What is Visions of the Wild?”
The event was originally conceived to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act in 2014. Founder Steve Dansky, a filmmaker for the U.S. Forest Service, was a pioneer in combining arts and nature. He saw the anniversary as an opportunity to engage the Vallejo community with nature, using its thriving arts community as a vehicle to do so.
Although the festival celebrates the creation of the National Nature Reserve, that is no longer its only focus: each year the festival chooses an environmental aspect or theme, and this year’s theme is “Regeneration.”
“It was a lot of fun that we did,” festival director Hannah Danton said, reflecting on the first event in 2014. “Then we did it again the next year and it just kept going, but we never really stopped and looked back at how things were going and what we were doing.”
To refocus and understand the festival’s impact on the community, the team designed focus groups ahead of this year’s festival, scheduled for Sept. 13-14. Two things stood out: “When you put the emphasis on the kids, they really appreciate it,” Danton says. It was enlightening feedback for a group that describes itself as a “smart, intelligent bunch.”
Visions of the Wild volunteer Cathy Farrell poses at the festival’s vendor tent. (Photo courtesy of Visions of the Wild)
Based on this response, the team realised they could focus more on a Saturday morning family discovery zone. Given the theme of “regeneration” in particular, and its key sub-theme: younger generations, Danton began asking: “What challenges do kids face and how do they view conservation?”
Danton went a step further and saw an opportunity to include kids in the weekend’s cultural events: Before the acclaimed Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour closes the festival at the Vallejo Naval History Museum on Saturday night, there will be kid-friendly film screenings during the day at Riverbank on Georgia Street.
The family-friendly short films, each between three and 15 minutes long, focus on younger generations. Movies like “Danny Macaskill: Do a Wheelie,” “Brave Girl” and “JoJo — A Toad Musical” teach young people about ecosystems and how they can make a difference in the world.
“Another thing people enjoyed was seeing Solano County as a special place on Earth,” Danton said. Many, if not most, of the festival-goers call the area home and are interested to see how the more general concept of revitalization applies to their city. “How does that show up in Vallejo and Solano County as a really special place with the migratory bird patterns, the monarch butterflies, the rivers and the mountains?” Danton said.
This year’s attendees will see a renewed focus on this “special place” as the festival becomes a “love letter to Solano County.” Part of the art exhibit is a slideshow featuring “before” and “after” photos of Vallejo as seen through time. Artist coordinator Dragana Monzon and event coordinator Robin Gross combed through the library’s archives and reached out to area residents who donated old photos to ensure a unified, comprehensive view of Vallejo through the years.
Saturday’s lecture series will also focus on a multigenerational view of Vallejo, something Danton said he’s especially excited about, as panelists will discuss Vallejo’s history from different generations and perspectives.
Danton isn’t particularly excited about her newly appointed role of “festival director,” but it’s not for lack of passion: rather, she prefers to see it as a team effort made possible by volunteerism.
“We’re all volunteers and we do this because we really love this community,” said Danton, who has been involved with the festival since its inception. “We all work hard at our day jobs and then we come home every day and do this. None of us are making money from this. It’s really just a labor of love.”
For a complete Visions of the Wild festival schedule of events and locations, visit visionsofthewild.org.
First published: August 27, 2024 at 6:02 pm