Sign up now to confirm your interest!
Join in the magic of The Energy Fair as a volunteer! Have fun and meet new friends while supporting our mission to promote sustainability and renewable energy! From welcoming people at the Information Tent to the Grounds Crew, the success of The Energy Fair depends on our volunteers.
Volunteer 2 hrs and get a free day pass!
Become a Hardcore Volunteer by dedicating 12+ hrs and receive:
- Free weekend pass
- Networking Dinner ticket for Thursday evening
- Hardcore Volunteer t-shirt!
If you can help, please fill out the volunteer form linked above. Shifts are available between 5:30 am and 12 midnight during the fair. Shifts are also available starting the Monday June 11th. Sign up to note your preferences and availability. A volunteer schedule will be emailed to you in April.
Last year at The Energy Fair in Custer, WI over 250 volunteers helped 2+ hours and 130 of those volunteers were Hardcore Volunteers that helped 12+ hours.
Contact Kristen at KristenY@midwestrenew.org or 715-592-6595 ext 111 for any questions and to learn about volunteering year round at Custer.
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Join our Street Team and help to promote The Energy Fair! Volunteers play an important role in spreading the word, from distributing posters and flyers to sharing on social media and posting yard signs.
We are seeking volunteers from all around the Midwest to distribute posters and flyers and national partners for digital promotion. If you’re involved with an event with people who would be interested in The Energy Fair, we can send you fliers to distribute at your event.
Interested in helping out? Contact Kristen Yeager at kristeny@midwestrenew.org or 715-592-6595 ext 111. Thank you for your support!
Day of Action: Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Show your support for clean energy and sustainable living by mentioning #TheEnergyFair in your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter posts on May 22! You can also find promotional and social media resources at: TheEnergyFair.org/media-kit.
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (arrive at any time)
Location: MREA’s Renew the Earth Institute (Energy Fair grounds)
Address: 7558 Deer Road, Custer, WI
Join us for this all-day event as we work to improve our demonstration site at the ReNew the Earth Institute in scenic Custer, WI. Typical volunteer tasks include landscaping, clearing brush, preparing food for The Energy Fair, painting picnic tables, preparing the MREA garden, assisting with office work and Energy Fair promotion, and more!
We’ll provide a light breakfast and a tasty lunch. The event takes place rain or shine. Everyone is welcome. Bring gloves, tools, and outdoor work clothing.
RSVPs by May 1 to have a chance to win a Solar Oven. To RSVP, contact Kristen at 715-592-6595 ext. 111 or kristeny@midwestrenew.org with your name, address, phone number, and dietary preference (vegan, vegetarian, etc.). See you there!
Bike to Move Some Earth Day
A bicycle group ride is happening on Saturday, May 5, in Portage County. Meet other members of the group at 8:00 a.m. by the Sundial on the UW-Stevens Point campus. Seasoned rider and Energy Fair presenter Melissa Haack will lead the ride. The 20-mile round trip ride takes you on mostly flat terrain and will stop at Move Some Earth Day at ReNew the Earth Institute. The MREA is offering a free day pass to The 29th Energy Fair, June 15-17, to anyone in the group ride who volunteers during Move Some Earth Day.
Thank you for considering to volunteer with us. The Energy Fair would not run if not for volunteers like yourself. We have outlined some basic orientation information to help you navigate your Energy Fair experience. We hope you have a fun and fruitful time at The Energy Fair and leave inspired and rejuvenated to make sustainable change in your community.
Registration Process
- Register on our 2018 Volunteer Registration Form and indicate your schedule preferences and talents.
- If any changes arise, just let Kristen know at 715-592-6595 ext. 111 or kristeny@midwestrenew.org.
- In April, we being scheduling volunteers and emailing schedule confirmations.
- Your email confirmation will contain your volunteer schedule with the days, places, and times of your volunteer shifts and other event details.
- Please review your volunteer schedule and send confirmation or corrections to kristeny@midwestrenew.org.
On-Site Check-in and Check-out Process
In the volunteer tent, when you first arrive you will need to:
- Smile, you’ve finally made it to The Energy Fair, the best place to be June 15-17!
- Sign-in at the Volunteer Tent, which includes filling-out and signing a Volunteer Waiver and getting your admission wristband or badge if you are a Hardcore Volunteer (12+ hours).
- Verify your Energy Fair volunteer shift(s) still work for you or make any adjustments needed.
- If you are a Hardcore Volunteer(12+ hours), don’t forget to pick up your t-shirt.
- Pick up a map/instructions for your volunteer shift(s).
- Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your first shift to complete the above steps as others may also be checking in as well.
- After your volunteer shift and before you leave for the day please sign-out at the Volunteer Tent (on Friday and Saturday after 7:00 p.m. the clipboard is at Front Gate). Signing out helps us know the total hours you volunteered for MREA that day and better plan for future years.
Volunteer Station Hours, June 11-18, 2018
- Monday-Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in the MREA Marketplace or the Picnic Tent.
- Thursday: 5:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. in the Volunteer Tent by 7:00 a.m.
- Friday-Saturday: 5:15 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. in the Volunteer Tent. 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Front Gate.
- Sunday: 5:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the Volunteer Tent. After 5:00 p.m. in the MREA Marketplace.
Sample Schedule
Your official schedule will be emailed to you. In this example, the volunteer is to report to the volunteer tent on Thursday before 11:45 a.m. in order to be ready to volunteer at 12:00 p.m. with the pre-fair setup.
Volunteer Opportunities
Here is a list of the main areas that volunteers help out during The Energy Fair. More detailed information for each area is coming soon.
- Pre-Fair Set Up – Heavy and light work available
- AV –
- Tidy tent –
- Grounds crew – manage the garbage, recycling and compost bins, or help other dispose of their trash correctly.
- Front Gate – Greet, answer questions, sell tickets/memberships
- Marketplace – Sell tickets and merchandise
- Membership recruitment – Sell MREA memberships
- MREA Cafe – Prepare/serve food, clean for cafe/dining events
- Bartending – work under the lead bartender to serve beer. (3.25 hour shifts, must be 21 or over, and sober)
- Security (East, West, or Front Gate) – Monitor entrance gates, wristbands, unauthorized traffic
- Parking – Direct traffic on road/parking lot
- Info Tent – Answer questions of fair attendees
- Grounds Crew – Empty garbage, recycling, and compost bins
- Campground Showers– Check in campers, direct traffic, clean trash bins, showers
- Silent Auction/Info – Set up, maintain, and tear down
- Workshop MC’s – Introduce speakers, clean up tent area, distribute evaluations
- Biking – Pedal bikes to power the Main Stage
- Promotion – Take pictures, post on social media about what is going on at the fair.
- Take Down – Tear down/Clean up. Sunday 4pm – Tuesday 4pm
More information about the Energy Fair can be found in the Pre-Fair Guide or at TheEnergyFair.org. Other helpful links:
- Tickets, Camping, and Membership: https://www.theenergyfair.org/tickets/
- Accommodations and Travel Information: https://www.theenergyfair.org/camping-hotels/
- FAQ: https://www.theenergyfair.org/about/#FAQ
- About the Fair and MREA: https://www.theenergyfair.org/about/
- Street Team: https://www.theenergyfair.org/volunteer/#streetteam
- Media Kit: https://www.theenergyfair.org/media-kit/
