fern fest

VISION

It is a priority at Fern Fest to create an inclusive and equitable environment where everyone in our community can show up as their authentic selves. We are on a collective journey to learn and grow together in order to build that space.

The inspiration for Fern Fest came from the desire to evolve the experience of a women’s festival and expand the vision into an inclusive, sustainable space. We want to continue to find our community, specifically women, nonbinary and trans folks, in the context of a music festival and expand access the healing and connection during a week in the Michigan woods. So many have brought their unique inspiration to the process of bringing Fern Fest to life. We may have some shared identities or similar lived experiences but making the decision to show up and connect with each other is what’s special.

We hope you’ll join us for this beautiful experience.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

One of the core tenets of the vision for Fern Fest is to create an experience where everyone can feel safe to show up as authentic selves. This means building trust within our community, being aware of how our actions impact others and holding ourselves accountable to community guidelines that foster that environment.

The safety and wellbeing of all Fern Fest community members is very important and incidents of harm will be addressed within a community-oriented process, supported by the Patio+ Learning Space and event organizers as needed. Incidents of harm will be assessed on a spectrum that centers repair. If willingness exists between individuals or groups, independent repair can be supported by a variety of processes including the CPR Repair Model. Those that continue to perpetuate harm and/or are not willing to engage in a reparative process may be asked to leave Fern Fest. Event organizers reserve the right to refuse entry or remove individuals from the venue at any time without a refund. Violence, threats of violence, hate speech or any other behavior that threatens our community will not be tolerated. Note that firearms of any kind are strictly prohibited by Fern Fest and the venue, Smiling Acres.

COMMITTMENTS:

RACE INEQUITY & ANTI-RACISM
Fern Fest is committed to the learning and unlearning required to dismantle colonial white supremacy and live out our anti-racism values. We have work to do as individuals and as a community that aspires to create a safer environment for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Our anti-racism commitment is as much a statement about who we aspire to be as it is a call to action for organizers and everyone attending Fern Fest to embody these principals. Those of us who are white identified, have a greater responsibility to do this work.

What does this look like? Fern Fest is curated to reflect the broad diversity of our community and this is represented by the racial diversity of performers, programming, staff and volunteers.

Fern Fest commits to providing spaces for the BIPOC community, organized by and for the Global Majority as well as other spaces for conversation and learning about dismantling racism at the structural, interpersonal and personal levels.

What does this feel like? Fern Fest endeavors to focus on the impact and outcomes of our choices, decisions and actions. Being an accountable community means we will seek out feedback about the experience of the BIPOC community at Fern Fest, acknowledge harms, and work to repair and adapt our approach in response to feedback.

This commitment also applies to all socially constructed forms of oppression.

ACCESSIBILITY
Accessibility at Fern Fest for the Deaf /HOH (Hard of Hearing) and those with disabilities is a priority. We will provide interpreters for all stage performances and capture as much communication in writing as possible via signs and centralized message boards. Working with our venue, Smiling Acres, we welcome feedback on how we can continue to support ongoing physical accessibility improvements.
Beyond communication practices and the physical space, we aim to expand our understanding of what it means to be accessible and add support offerings in other areas as our community continues to grow, identify needs and solutions.

GENDER DIVERSITY
The inspiration for Fern Fest came from the desire to evolve the experience of a women’s festival and expand the vision into an inclusive, sustainable, expansive space. It’s important to acknowledge that nonbinary and trans folks and others that live on the spectrum of the feminine spirit have been met with explicit and implicit transphobia and discrimination within the broader “women’s festival” community. The vision for Fern Fest requires everyone – crew, performers and attendees – to actively work to dismantle vestiges of this discriminatory culture within the space we aspire to create.

Because we know that every person’s gender identity is unique, we are dedicated to the sometimes messy work of learning and stretching our understanding of language to ensure Fern Fest is affirming for those whose identity does not align with binary gender definitions. Increasing our awareness around pronouns and other gendered language is one way we can center inclusion.

We aim to continue building trust in the process of supporting safer spaces for nonbinary and trans folks within our community. We welcome feedback on the structural and cultural aspects of Fern Fest to support this work.

INDIGENOUS LAND RECONCILIATION
We acknowledge that the land on which Smiling Acres is situated, originally belonged to the Indigenous peoples of this region, including the Anishinaabe, Peoria, and Odawa nations. We recognize the enduring presence of these indigenous peoples and their ongoing connection to this land. By taking these steps, we aim to honor the indigenous peoples of this land, acknowledge historical injustices, and work towards reconciliation and healing within our community. Steps for Reconciliation:

1. Education and Awareness: Engage in ongoing education and dialogue about the history, culture, and current issues facing indigenous communities in the area. This can include hosting workshops, inviting indigenous speakers, or incorporating indigenous perspectives into educational curricula.

2. Respect and Collaboration: Foster respectful relationships and partnerships with local indigenous communities. This can involve consulting with indigenous leaders and organizations on matters that impact their land, resources, and cultural heritage.

3. Land Stewardship and Restoration: Take active steps to support land stewardship and environmental restoration efforts, guided by indigenous knowledge and practices. This may include participating in conservation projects, restoring native habitats, and honoring indigenous land management traditions.