This year’s sixth annual Sustainable Ballard Festival will focus on families and how they can become greener while at the same time saving money.

The event this year will take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26 and 27 from noon to 5 p.m. at Ballard Corners Park.

The first stop parents and kids can take will be on Transportation Row, Jenny Heins, Sustainable Ballard President and festival coordinator said.

“Kids coming down Transportation Row get to check out the dog scooter, different vehicles and different interactive things,” she said. “For adults we have information about ways to save money by using public transportation, as well as do-it-yourself items like electrical vehicle conversions.”

There will also be Sustainable Bike Tours to give residents a chance to learn about the benefits of biking while meeting their neighbors.

This year’s bike tour is a two-hour round trip ride. There will be stops at chicken coops, shared gardens, P-Patches, rain barrels, green buildings, cider presses and more.

At the Green Home Center, kids will have a chance to turn cranks and see how much power they can generate, Heins said.

“Also there’s a model green home set-up that is divided into rooms so people can learn what they can do in each room related to conservation, as well as green building ways to save money around the house through do-it-yourself workshops,” she said.

And to help clarify for Ballard residents what should and should not be recycled, participants can play the Recycling Toss.

Moving along to the Urban Farm Zone, Heins said kids will be able to paint their own mason bee houses to take home.

There will be chickens and goats around all weekend. The friendly farm animals will be in the Urban Barnyard, hosted by Seattle Farm Co-Op.

“There will be cider and fruit pressing and adults will be able to learn about growing their own garden,” Heins said.

Information on edible and container gardening, native plants, wildlife habitat and more will also be provided.

Particularly for kids and a time for parents to sit and relax, Heins said they will have a

The Green Kids Area will provide a place for parents to relax but also have activities for the children.

“The Bubble Man will be there on Saturday and Gymboree will have interactive activities on Sunday right next to the music stage,” Heins said. “Adults can listen to the music while their kids are Hula-Hooping and running around.”

And to get resident’s creative juices flowing, the festival will host Flash Fashion Challenge, where people have 24 hours to create a new fashion out of recycled clothes or used items, which they get to display at a fashion show on Sunday.

“Saturday we have local designers presenting their recycled or upcycled fashions to inspire those joining in on the challenge on Sunday,” Heins said. “Some will offer their items in our Buy Local Boutique.”

Besides helping people figure out how to help their households become greener, Heins said there are a few things related to supporting the community.

“We have an area where we have conversations on homelessness and a Town Hall conversation area where people are invited to bring their own topics for discussion with neighbors,” she said.

Heins said she is exciting about this year’s event.

“The reason why I really wanted to emphasize family and kids this year is that it’s really a big piece of work that Sustainable Ballard believes in,” she said. “Kids are a real catalyst of change. Its about getting kids excited about the changes they can make in sustainability.”

To volunteer contact volunteer@fest.sustainableballard.org or sign up online.

Sustainable Ballard is a non-profit organization developing a grassroots vision of sustainability for the community of Ballard.