Durfest is here and IT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW

Durham’s newest and greenest music and arts festival “Alliance” is happening right now at Babylon, with an exciting line up of Durham’s most talented musicians- all in the name of raising money for the environment.

All funds raised will go to the Rainforest Alliance, an international charity that strives to tackle pressing humanitarian and environmental issues including combating deforestation and promoting sustainable agricultural practice.

However, Durfest aren't just promoting environmentalism on a global scale- they are also campaigning to abolish the use of single-use plastics locally in Durham.

We spoke to Isobel Jacob, Area Coordinator for Animal Rebellion (the sister movement to Extinction Rebellion). This is what she has to say about Durfest:

“I believe Durfest is an incredible event, not only due to its focus on the climate emergency every species is currently facing, but also for its challenge to the toxic culture that has led us into this state of crisis. This is something that I believe is particularly present in the Durham student community: a disregard for the true weight of the consequences of our actions, firmly set in an environment of outdated tradition, routine and lack of perspective.

The festival itself is in alliance with the Rainforest Alliance, yet right now the Amazon Rainforest is in flames. The Amazon is vital to global climate stability alongside being home to 1 million Indigenous people and thousands of plant and animal species. It is critical to our planet’s future.

Cat Ryan, an indie trio from Newcastle, will be performing at 5:30

This Durham ‘bubble’ has become stagnant, and I hope Durfest will be able to use the arts to revitalise the current music scene in Durham, and with it to call students to action, and to understand their own hugely significant part to play in the global catastrophe that is climate change. I am thrilled to be talking at Durfest’s Alliance event tonight, and hope it will inspire people to rebel for ALL species whose lives depend on this beautiful planet.”

You can do your part for the environment, for Durham, and for Greta Thunberg by heading down to Babylon right now to see acts until 1am, because let's face it, what else do you have to do tonight?

You can buy tickets for the Durfest event tonight here, and follow Durfest on Instagram here