Kula Cloth, an outdoor gear company based in Granite Falls, Washington, is bringing the third leg of its yearlong Abundance Tour benefitting Washington State Parks to Fort Worden’s JFK Hall Sunday, March 26 at noon.
The Kula Abundance Tour is an event focused on giving. As part of the year long tour of state parks, Kula Cloth will give away gear from over 20 outdoor brands. Kula Cloth founder Anastasia Allison said in addition to raising funds for state parks, “this is an event where all are welcome, and nobody will leave empty-handed.”
Allison said she hopes to introduce attendees to outdoor brands they may not be familiar with, and to provide them with the tools “that can help them get started on their own adventures.
The event will feature a treasure hunt and chances to win free outdoor gear including an ultralight backpacking tent, day packs, dehydrated backpacking meals, a bear can, sun hoodies, down booties, water bottles, water filters, outdoor books and much more.”
The event will also feature a brief nature walks that will demonstrate responsible stewardship of our public lands, caricatures by local artist and author Dana Sullivan, a water color painting station lead by artist Christina Looney, and a silent disco dance party to wrap up the festivities.
Attendees can also make custom Kula Cloths with their own artwork. The Kula Cloth is a first-of-its-kind, antimicrobial pee cloth that Allison designed to reduce waste on hiking and backpacking trips.
Allison came up with the product concept while on a 2016 backpacking trip, during which she was disturbed to find toilet paper litter all over the backcountry. She thought if a reusable pee cloth was marketed as a clean and official piece of gear, it would help reduce waste in the backcountry.
Her business idea was about more than simply making money off a product, though; the word kula means community, and Allison knew early on that she wanted to host events that would bring people together to form deeper connections with themselves, others and the planet.
Kula Cloth has hosted over 400 virtual and in person events since 2020. Allison’s idea for the Abundance Tour stemmed from a desire to give back to state parks.
As a child, Allison volunteered at state parks, and she was a park ranger at Twanoh State Park for more than seven years. It was there that she first began to really explore the outdoors, and her fellow rangers helped her acquire the necessary gear for her adventures.
State parks are special because they are many people’s introduction to outdoor recreation and exploration, she said. All profits from the Abundance Tour will support state parks and their foundations.
There will be eight events in total, all held at various Washington state parks, including a second event at Deception Pass State Park in July. No two events will be quite the same, Allison said.
Guests can register for the event online at kulacloth.com. Tickets are sold on a pay-what-you-will basis, with all proceeds benefiting the Deception Pass State Park Foundation.
