September 25-30, Bhakti Fest Celebrates in 29 Palms, California
Bhakti Fest is the only festival of its kind that celebrates the devotional path with roots in Bhakti Yoga, Kirtan, and meditation. This festival embraces ancient and modern sacred wisdom and traditional and non-traditional spiritual practices.
This year has been one for change, including Bhakti Fest’s move to their beautiful new location at Roadrunner Dunes in 29 Palms, CA. The City of 29 Palms is the home of Joshua Tree National Park North Entrance and the official Gateway to the Mojave Trails National Monument. Expect skies painted with color at dawn and dusk, and night skies filled with an abundance of stars.
Bhakti Fest will feature two music stages, expanded yoga and workshop villages, a sound temple healing sanctuary, a mantra dome, and a Kirtan School. In addition, families can enjoy Bhakti Kids Land offering a wide array of family programming, plus men’s and women’s sacred spaces for gender specific workshops and more. The location also comes also with some new features, including a lake for swimming and paddleboard yoga and a vast vibrant space for art installations.
Bhakti Fest Celebrates Devotional Music
The inspiration for Bhakti Fest first emerged 50 years ago when Founder Sridhar Silberfein attended the historical 1969 festival event, Woodstock. Promoters Michael Lang and Artie Kornfeld sought Sridhar’s advice on the soon to be legendary art and music festival. Sridhar responded, “Ya got some of the greatest musical acts in the world, but what’s missing is the spiritual component.”
With their to-do lists already bursting, they answered, “Ok you deal with that part.” Sridhar arranged for his teacher, Swami Satchitananda, to be flown to in by helicopter to deliver an invocation. While on stage, together Sri whispered to Swami Satchidananda, “Swamiji, wouldn’t it be great to bring this many people together to chant the names of God?” Swami Satchidananda smiled knowingly and said, “Yes, it would be great if you could do that.” Forty years later, Bhakti Fest emerged and has been a formative force in the rise and awareness of Kirtan and Bhakti Yoga.
Attend Bhakti Fest
Headliners for the 2019 event include: Jai Uttal, Dharma Mittra, Radhanath Swami, MC YOGI, Fannah Fi Allah, Saul David Raye, Sianna Sherman, Mike Love, Mas Vidal, Girish, Govind Das & Radha, Kia Miller, Dawn Cartwright, Ram Das (via video), Zoe Kors, and many more.
Housing options include camping, RV hook-up sites, glamping yurts, cozy trailers, and many hotels and Airbnbs in nearby City of 29 Palms.
Buy your tickets now at: Bhaktifest.com
Natalie Macam is a Yoga Teacher who teaches locally in Los Angeles: www.nataliemacam.com.