The third annual Rotary Climate Fair in Chilliwack will be the last chance for Fraser Valley folks to take in a weekend of speakers and vendors who are helping to create a cleaner future.
Robyn Curtis, one of the organizers, is calling it the "grand finale." It's a free event and it takes place April 12 and 13 at the Chilliwack Landing Sports Centre.
Started in 2023 by the Rotary Club of Chilliwack's Climate Change Action Group, the team committed to organizing three of these events which offer a platform for Rotarians, community leaders, industry professionals, and the public to meet experts, exchange ideas, learn, and forge new connections to help protect the environment.
“The booths and presentations at the climate fair are designed to educate and inspire attendees to make the changes needed for a better future for our children,” said Curtis, chair of the Climate Change Action Group. "Whether you’re worried about climate change or reducing your carbon footprint or saving money, it’s all the same.”
It's a three-pronged event: an educational trade show, job fair and speakers.
There will be upwards of 60 organizations taking part, offering information and tips on everything from innovative home building solutions, to renewable energy technologies, to the Cultus Lake Stewards who work to preserve and protect the lake, and local Indigenous communities doing major environmental projects.
She is encouraging students to attend as it will be the last opportunity in Chilliwack to meet several companies, many of which are hiring, all under one roof.
One thing people will not see this year are electric vehicles.
“Everybody knows what an electric car is now. I think people are still learning about heat pumps and solar (panels) and how to save money," Curtis said.
This year, the speakers' area will fill the space where the vehicles were the past two years.
Speakers include Alison Cuffley with the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, Lori Daniels with the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC-Vancouver, and Johanna Wagstaffe, the on-air meteorologist, seismologist and scientist for CBC.
They will be discussing topics such as the role of media in climate change, the transition to renewable energy, and the health impacts of climate change on both humans and animals. Presentations will also cover subjects like wildfires, forest dynamics, social-ecological resilience, and the importance of engaging with Indigenous communities.
Curtis touched on what has changed over the years at the Rotary Climate Fair.
“It’s become less of a trade show and more of a networking event," she said.
“We knew we wanted to do education and awareness for our community and to show them how they could shift to alternative energy. But what we didn't see coming was we didn't realize that the vendors would learn from each other. Now we're forming little groups of vendors in Chilliwack that trust and know each other.”
The kids' zone will be moved upstairs into the loft and will include face painting and lots of activities to keep little ones busy, and a space for them to run around.
The event is also a fundraiser for both international and local Rotary projects. Funds from this year's event, which come from vendor registrations, will go towards a project in Uganda, and prize money for a climate change video competition open to middle- and high-school students in the Chilliwack School District.
Past funds have helped pay for climate-change kits available in every elementary school library in the district.
Curtis said the event wouldn't be possible without the help of the community.
The Rotary Club of Chilliwack only spends $500 on the fair, with the rest of the funds and supplies coming from the community. The City of Chilliwack allows them to use the building at no cost, organization loan equipment and make in-kind donations, plus the have countless volunteers.
“The support from the community has been unparalleled,” Curtis said.
Chilliwack will be well educated on climate action by the end of this third fair, so after this one wraps up, it'll be time to pass the torch to another community.
“Our community has seen it. We want it to continue and have legs elsewhere.”
The 2026 climate fair will be held in Semiahmoo and run by the Rotary Club of Nature Celebrators. Curtis has given presentations to them on how organize the event and said she will support them along the way.
The third annual Rotary Climate Fair in Chilliwack runs Saturday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Landing Sports Centre (45530 Spadina Ave.).
For more, including a full list of speakers, go to rotaryclimatefair.ca.
