A nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the Santa Fe River is fighting back against pollution in the river through music.
Our Santa Fe River is hosting its Seventh Annual Songwriting Contest and music festival RiverFest, which includes a silent auction. The festival will be held Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Rum 138, located at 2070 SW County Road 138, Fort White, Florida.
The Songwriting Contest will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Seven contestants from around Gainesville will take part in the contest, said Pamela Smith, the president of Our Santa Fe River. The silent auction will feature photography and paintings from local artists John Moran, the co-creator of the Springs Eternal exhibit,
and Margaret Ross Tolbert, an environmental artist and springs painter.
“Hopefully we can have a good time with food, good weather and fun,” Smith said.
The organization is expecting more than 300 people to attend.
The purpose of the festival is to bring awareness and funds toward increasing the water quantity and improving the water quality in the Santa Fe River, Smith said. The entire event is put on by volunteers who seek to fight back against the nitrate, agriculture, pesticide and septic tank pollution that affect the river.
“We’re hoping that we can form a connection with the UF community,” Smith said. “We need some people to get involved — you guys are the ones that are going to carry the torch moving forward.”
