Every once in a while something comes along that makes you do a double take...the Roanoke Outdoor Circus will make you do just that.

Presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the Roanoke Outdoor Circus (aka the ROC) is a new annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor recreation. By combining the things outdoor enthusiasts love - camping, music, gear, races, and demos, all in a beautiful outdoor setting - the Roanoke Outdoor Circus is a celebration of everything outdoors.

This isn't your ordinary sit-in-your seat kind of circus - you're encouraged to get involved. Walk around, check out the gear, enjoy the music, and above all, have fun.

Come for the day, or for the weekend, pitch your tent (rent one if you don't have one), bring your dog (on leash), listen to great music, sample craft beer, demo a bike or SUP, pick up a new piece of gear, and a heck of lot more.  

Over the next few weeks we'll share various highlights of the festival...in the mean time check out www.theoutdoorcircus.com. 

Going green can seem like a daunting task when you consider how already busy your life is - it can all seem overwhelming. The best approach is by taking baby steps. You choose something that is important to you and simply take it for a test drive. You might find that you've had fun, saved some money and possibly inspired others to join and you will definitely find that doing your part to protect our environment for future generations is worth the extra effort. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Around The House 

• Shop local. Whether it is for food from your local farmer's market or outdoor gear from a local store. Buying local supports our local economy and reduces carbon emissions by reducing the distance the goods must travel. Roanoke is blessed with many incredible farmer's markets and local farms.
• When you go grocery shopping use a reusable bag to limit the amount of plastic bags
• No more bottled water.  Every HOUR American's throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles. Buy a reusable water bottle
• When a light bulb goes bad, replace it with Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL).  If every household in America installed just ONE 60-watt equivalent CFL, the energy saved would be enough to power a city of 1.5 million people, or enough to power all the homes in Delaware and Rhode Island, or equivalent to taking 1.3 million cars off the roads
• Always turn off anything and everything that is not in use
• Lower your hot water heater to 120 degrees

Continue reading to learn more tips>>>