MARQUETTE — Local environmental nonprofit Save the Wild U.P. (SWUP) will host an evening of song and storytelling featuring singer-songwriter and clean water advocate Ben Weaver. The event takes place Friday, February 12th, and starts at 6pm at the Marquette Women’s Federated Clubhouse.
SWUP hosted Ben Weaver in July of 2015 as he circumnavigated Lake Superior on his bicycle, raising awareness about the environmental stewardship of Lake Superior. Weaver, a Minnesota- based musician, has toured extensively in Europe and North America, with critically acclaimed recordings and a “hillbilly Leonard Cohen” stage presence. Weaver visited communities around Lake Superior — working with local parks and environmental groups to help raise awareness and tell new stories about how we can take better care of our freshwater resources.
Weaver is returning to tell stories from his trip, sharing songs, poems and videos from all around Lake Superior. “We are happy to offer a wild alternative to the corporate-sponsored events in town,” said SWUP director, Alexandra Maxwell. “Ben is an incredible talent and we are so happy to welcome him back and hear all the inspiration he gathered. I think his project really resonates with folks —advocating for the protection of Lake Superior while getting out there and really experiencing the landscape first-hand.”
“This past July, I circled Lake Superior on a bicycle in 16 days. Along the way, I performed for audiences in small towns, on behalf of Provincial Parks, the Great Lakes Commons, Save the Wild U.P., Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, F.O.L.K., and other environmental groups, in order to raise awareness about clean water and Lake Superior,” said Weaver. “I’ve been riding bikes around the country for several years now, preferring to do my performances outdoors or in alternative spaces, using music and bikes to offer new ideas about how we can live more fulfilled, satisfying lives with healthier connections to our land and ecosystems.”
“Ben brings together so many facets of Save the Wild U.P.’s work. Insight is gained from time spent in nature, it can inform the way we interact with the world at large, and Ben will be sharing his insights with fellow concerned citizens. Ben Weaver wants us all to ‘become better ancestors’ — I love that idea,” said Kathleen Heideman, SWUP president.
The event is $10 at the door with proceeds benefitting the work of Save the Wild U.P. and Ben Weaver’s advocacy on behalf of the Great Lakes Commons. For more information on the event, check out SWUP’s facebook page: http://bit.ly/BWFBEvent
Founded in 2004, Save the Wild U.P. is a grassroots organization dedicated to defending the Upper Peninsula of Michigan’s clean water and wild places from the threat of sulfide mining. For more information contact info@savethewildup.org or call (906) 662-9987. Get involved with SWUP’s work at savethewildup.org on Facebook at facebook.com/savethewildup or on Twitter @savethewildup.
Related Links:
Promotional Image of Ben Weaver: http://bit.ly/BenWeaverIMG
Image of Ben on bike: http://bit.ly/BenWeaverBike
Save the Wild U.P. Event Page: http://bit.ly/BWFBEvent
Explore Ben Weaver’s Music: http://bit.ly/BWRatherBeABuffalo
