The 6th Annual Sustainable Ballard Festival kicked off Saturday, and it couldn’t have been a more gorgeous day.

Once again, the free event is taking place at Ballard Commons Park and there’s plenty for everyone to see, do and learn about saving money and the planet.

Nearly 70 vendors with food, fun, how-to’s and how-not-to’s took part in this year’s fair.

With some 4-legged help from Brett, this little girl took a test drive on a locally-developed sulky.

The Undriver Licensing Station returned for its 2nd year, recruiting people to make a one-month pledge to use an alternate form of transportation than a car.

Since their launch at the 2007 Sustainable Ballard Festival, the organization has licensed more than 3,000 Undrivers. People who make a pledge to reduce car use receive a license and eight free METRO bus passes. (A $5 donation is suggested but not required.)

When the Undriver Licensing station temporarily lost power, they sought help from what else – an electric car.

City dog, meet city goat. The Seattle Farm Co-op returned with their urban chickens, rabbits and goats.

The Recycled/Upcycled Fashion Show featured creations from local designers, all of which were impressively made entirely out of recycled materials.

The first-ever Flash Fashion Challenge also kicked off. The competition gives contestants 24 hours to build a new fashion from old. Starter kits containing manufacture samples and partial-garments were available for people to pick up, as well as additional scraps and remnants.

This junior designer couldn’t wait to get started. We were told she plans to hand-sew her outfit. The contest concludes tomorrow with a fashion show of all the creations at 4pm.
The Sustainable Ballard Festival continues on Sunday from 12-5pm. Click here for a schedule of events.
