Tomorrow, World Fair Trade Day 2008 is being celebrated in over 70 countries, with free food, lectures, concerts, fashion shows and art exhibits. Surrounding WFT Day is the first-annual Fair Trade Fortnight, which is running through May 18. For this inaugural Fortnight, the theme is environmental justice.

For example, Trade Aid New Zealand is going all-out with their “Junk 2 Green Funk” contest, in which participants re-fashion trash into art. The aim is to to heighten awareness of conservation and the role of the artisan in fair-trade craftsmanship.

So what do you get out of World Fair Trade Day?
Retailers all over the country are going to be handing out free fair trade coffee, chocolate and other samples. And we’re not talking just any caffeinated swill here — this is quality stuff. Great art and film events abound, too.

What do the fair-trade craftsmen and farmers get out of it?
Where to start? Living wages; safe working environments; ecologically sound production methods; long-term working relationships between producers and retailers.

Of course, just because Mother’s Day comes only once a year (you didn’t forget, did you?), doesn’t mean you should ignore your mom for the other 364 days. So it goes without saying that it’s important to support fair-trade producers whenever you can. At zipiZape Artisans, we celebrate Fair Trade Day every day, offering handmade crafts from artisans from all over the world — Mexico, Nepal, South Africa and Peru, to name just a few of the countries our producers hail from, as well as Navajo and Zuni art from right here in the US.

Back to WFT Day: There are fair-trade throwdowns going on all over the country this weekend. These 6 listings should give you a little taste of what’s going on in our neck of the woods (New England), including trunk shows, free coffee and chocolate, film screenings and wine samplings:

Worlds Biggest Coffee Break
Saturday, May 10 | 3pm-4pm

Description: “Aiming to set a world record for the biggest ever coffee break, Amherst Fair Trade Partnership (AFTP) will stage a ‘Fair Trade Coffee Break’ on May 10, World Fair Trade Day. It will be one of hundred’s of Fair Trade coffee breaks held simultaneously around the world, and will focus on the benefits of Fair Trade for farmers, consumers, and the environment. AFTP will distribute Free Fair Trade coffee, chocolate and flowers at various businesses throughout Amherst at 3pm. Live music will be at some locations. AFTP will also distribute a guide to all the places that carry Fair Trade products in town. In order to set the world record, the events will have to draw over 5,000 people throughout the U.S. participating at the same time.”

Participating venues: Black Sheep Deli/Cafe, Loose Goose Deli, Henions Bakery, Wheatberry Bakery, Bart’s Ice Cream, Collective Copies, Tabella Restaurant

[Amherst, MA (downtown). 413.687.1434. amherstfairtrade@earthlink.net]

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Fair Trade Film Screening: “Chocolate Country”
Saturday, May 10 | 2pm

Description: “This 30 minute film won Best Short Documentary at the Seattle International Film Festival and is an exciting, positive story set to local Dominican folk music. It will take you into another world and culture and show you where chocolate comes from, how it’s grown and prepared, and how you can support a better life for the farmers who grow it. You can read about it and see the trailer at ChocolateCountryFilm.com. The director, Robin Blotnick, and the producers, Northampton locals Jill Higgins and Joe Blotnick, will be there to present and discuss the film. Chocolate Country came into being while Jill and Joe were Peace Corps volunteers in the Dominican Republic working with the cacao farmers’ cooperative and their film maker son came to visit.” Admission is $3, and apparently comes with free Pierce Brothers coffee and Divine chocolate.

View trailer (click here if you’re having trouble viewing the embedded video below):

[Amherst Cinema, Amherst Cinema Arts Center, 28 Amity St., Amherst, MA. 413.687.1434. $3. amherstcinema.org, chocolatecountryfilm.com. amherstfairtrade@earthlink.net]

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World Fair Trade Day @ Made on Earth and Lydia’s Cafe
Saturday, May 10 | 9am-5:30pm

Description: “Made on Earth and Lydia’s cafe will join together to celebrate Fair Trade Day. Lydia’s will provide free Fair Trade coffee between 3-3:30pm and Made on Earth will donate 10% of it’s sales to GALA, a local organization promoting just and equitable commerce and environmental intergrity on a local level.”

[Made on Earth and Lydia's Cafe, Wolfeboro Marketplace, Wolfeboro, NH. 603.569.9100. madeonearthwolfeboro.com

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World's Largest Coffee Break
Saturday, May 10 | 10am-5pm

Description: "Join us in Celebrating World Fair Trade Day on Saturday, May 10th. Simply Unique Boutique will join with people from 70 countries worldwide to celebrate World Fair Trade Day. We're trying to set the World Record for the Largest Fair Trade Coffee Break at 3:00pm. Come learn about Fair Trade and How you can Make a Difference. We will be introducing Fair Trade Coffee, Tea and Chocolate. Don't forget to put your name in for Fair Trade Gift Raffles!"

[Simply Unique Boutique, 206 East Main Street (Rt. 16), Milford, MA. 508.473.3473. simplyuniqueboutique@verizon.net]

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Faith Brewing Justice
Saturday, May 10 | 1pm-5pm

Description: “World Fair Trade Day Resource event for Christians and Churches (and anybody else!) in the Boston area: –Fair Trade Coffee Break –Interactive Workshops –Local Fair Trade Organizations –Ecumenical Worship.”

[Harvard Epworth Church, 1555 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA. 978.979.7878. bostonfaithjustice.org]

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WFT Day Trunk Show and Wine Tasting
Saturday, May 10 | 3pm-5pm

Description: “Autonomie Project, a new Fair Trade fashion company, is hosting it’s first trunk show in honor of World Fair Trade Day. Shop Autonomie’s new collection of Fair Trade sneakers, flip flops and hand bags; hear a presentation about the workers behind the products and how Fair Trade helps them and their communities; sample Fair Trade wines while you shop; get a free goodie bag full of Fair Trade swag and coupons!”

[Greenward Shop, 776 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA. 617.395.1338. autonomieproject.com]

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