Choosing a yoga and wellness festival is not unlike choosing a music festival. Essentially, you’re booking a vacation around your personal wellness interests and giving yourself a weekend (or longer!) of me time. While some of these festivals are more upscale, others are very casual. You really want to know the festival vibe before you book to ensure the experience is what you’re after. Keep in mind, the actual festival atmosphere may not always line up with the promotions you see on Instagram (the notorious and famously fraudulent Fyre Festival comes to mind) so it’s always best to get a recommendation. Voila: we’ve been researching and interviewing like crazy to bring you the following list of wellness festivals happening across North America this year. Take a look at these options, and get ready to be excited!
1. Samsarafest
March 21-24, 2019 | Enumclaw, Washington State (US)
Cost: $225 for 4-Day Festival Pass. Day options are also available.
“Samsara” is the Sanskrit word for journeying, which is the theme of this wellness festival, happening in Enumclaw, just outside of Seattle from March 21-24. This festival offers an honest and open approach to wellness, providing four days of immersive support and community, designed to meet festival-goers wherever you’re at. Over 100 different activities are planned across this four-day experience – including yoga, various healing, and hands-on workshops, nature immersion, live music, adventure activities, thought-provoking talks, intimate circles, Ayurveda teachings, drum circles, and much more. Food options include Ayurveda-inspired farm-fresh veggie fare, along with a juice truck, and a variety of other local food trucks.
You can book a hotel near the festival here or inquire about sheltered camping and RV’ing options.
2. Shakti Fest
May 9-13, 2019 | Joshua Tree, California, USA
Cost: $225 for a full festival pass; student and day options also available.
Happening May 9-13 at the beautiful Joshua Tree Lake Campground near Palm Springs, California, Shakti Fest offers live music, yoga classes, healing, conscious workshops, gender-specific classes and more. Featuring popular teachers and artists such as Jai Uttal, Shiva Rea, MC Yogi, Donna De Lory, Fannah Fi Allah, Janet Stone, Wicked Hangin Chads and many more, Shakti Fest is also one of the few all-ages, family-friendly music and yoga festivals on the circuit today. This festival’s vision is to become “a vehicle for the evolution of human consciousness through a heart-centered revolution.” Special extras include a sound healing dome, Kirtan lessons, and a Chai Tea lounge.
Discover more about the glamping and camping options on the website here and learn more about all planned activities here.
3. Muskoka Yoga Festival
July 19-21, 2019 | Limberlost Forest, Southern Ontario, Canada
Cost: $188 for a full festival pass.
The Muskoka Yoga Festival and 10k Forest Run takes place in the pristine nature of Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reserve in Ontario, offering a full weekend of yoga, music, a 10k Forest Run, camping, a food and vendor market and lots of other activities. This is a family-friendly festival with a mandate of “Community, Connection and Conservation.” Festival-goers can explore a range of workshops from Kundalini to Ashtanga to Power to Flow to Acro, as well as a tent dedicated to mindfulness, meditation, and restorative yoga. If a nature festival is what you’re after, the Muskoka Yoga Festival is an excellent bet. Interesting extras include Stand-Up Paddleboarding workshops, Silent Disco, and a Vegetarian Market.
Check out the full schedule here. Festival passes include a campsite but if you don’t want to camp, here are a few local hotel options.
4. Bhakti Fest
September 11-16, 2019 | Joshua Tree, California, USA
Cost: $225 for a full festival pass; student and day options also available.
Bhakti Fest celebrates the devotional paths of yoga, Kirtan (sacred music), and meditation. Scheduled for September 11-16, this is one of the few wellness festivals that is completely drug- and alcohol-free as it’s intended to be a vehicle of higher consciousness. Bring your yoga mats to the Joshua Tree Lake Campground and get ready to practice yoga and meditation. You can also take workshops with leaders in the field of personal growth, with some
yoga teachers including Shiva Rea, Dharma Mittra, Radhanath Swami, Janet Stone, Gaura Vani, Michael Brian Baker, and many more. Dance to sacred sounds with world-renowned Grammy-nominated Kirtan artists like Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, MC Yogi, Donna De Lory, and the Kirtaniyas. Camp out beneath the star-studded Joshua Tree sky or enjoy some extra comfort with onsite glamping, cozy trailers, and RV hook-up sites.
Extras include a Mantra Dome where you can chant mantras with your favorite teachers, a Healing Sanctuary offering access to a variety of leading practitioners, and a thoughtful kids program – children under 12 get free admission. Full details here.
5. Blessed Festival
July 26-28, 2019 | Squamish, Southern British Columbia, Canada
Cost: $250 for a weekend pass. Day options available.
A celebration of music, yoga, and arts, the Blessed Festival in Squamish, BC, is an invitation to experience some of BC’s most loved yoga teachers, speakers, and wisdom-keepers. You’ll experience the festival surrounded by the breathtaking views of the local Squamish mountains and rivers. Happening July 26-28, this unique wellness event centers around the art and wisdom of Coast Salish teachers, who bring their communal ceremonies to the modern context of this festival celebration.
This is a family-friendly and eco-friendly event. The 2019 updated schedule and venue info will be posted this Spring – check in here to learn more.
6. Telluride Yoga Festival
June 27-30, 2019 | Telluride, Southwest Colorado, USA
Cost: $450 for a full festival pass; other options available.
Set in the majestic setting of Telluride, Colorado, this authentic and intimate festival includes over 100 offerings throughout the weekend including classes, workshops, lecturers, and social events. The Telluride Yoga Festival is known for its impressive lineup of presenters covering a wide range of styles and levels of yoga. Notable features include aerial yoga classes, stand-up paddleboarding, and guided hikes which are a lovely way to get to know Telluride. Happening June 27-30, this festival is ideal for those who love to camp and commune with nature. The Telluride Town Park Campground is very popular so book early if you have your heart set on that; otherwise, there are several surrounding campgrounds and hotel options available.
7. Sat Nam Fest
April 10-14, 2019 | Malibu Canyon, Southern California, USA
Cost: $479 plus housing for a full festival pass. Day options available.
The Sat Nam Festival is an invitation to “immerse yourself in the joy, transformation, and rejuvenation of Kundalini Yoga, sacred chant, and creativity.” This festival happens April 10-14 in Malibu Canyon. Whether you are an experienced yogi or this is your first time practicing Kundalini Yoga, the Sat Nam Fest is designed to allow you to create the perfect yogic experience – offering a variety of teachers, workshops, and class sizes so you’ll be sure to find something that calls to you. Workshops topics include Making a Mala, Exploring and Creating a Daily Sadhana Practice and learning Bhangra Dance. The menu for the weekend is all vegetarian and mostly organic and local. Accommodations range from spacious private comfort to shared dormitories to camping; each option is sold as a flat rate, per-person for the festival.
8. Beloved
August 9-12, 2019 | Tidewater Falls, West Oregon, USA
Cost: $270 – tickets go on sale Spring, 2019.
A 4-day sacred art, music, and movement festival happening on the Oregon Coast, Beloved 2019 is billed primarily as a healing event. Imagine a world that understands the depth of our connection with each other, to the planet, and to our souls: Beloved 2019 is a model of and an invitation to this type of connection. You can expect a presentation of sacred music from diverse global traditions, along with interactive art installations, live painting, local organic cuisine, workshops on yoga, healing, relationships, social and environmental justice, and the music and wisdom of ancient cultures. Check the website in Spring 2019 to discover full line up and housing options.
So, which one of these festivals do you have your eye on? Are there any other festivals that you’ve tried and recommend? Feel free to share your insights. And if you’re planning to attend any of these, let us know. Maybe we’ll meet you there.
Monica Krake is the founder of Head + Heart, a mindful calendar for North America that helps people discover mindful and meaningful events, teachers and community, to support their journeys. Follow Head + Heart on social: Instagram + Facebook.
Edited by Ely Bakouche
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