June and July Summer 2015 Festivals
by Tiffany Palazzini
OC Yoga Fest
June 21. Irvine
Summer Solstice is also the International Day of Yoga. Spend the day with family and friends in the name of Yoga for Harmony and Peace. Dance and chant to live kirtan music and enjoy a variety of good food and yoga for all ages and levels including kids’ activities. Information booths with conscious living companies and organizations will provide education on healthy green lifestyle. Teachers include keynote speaker Phil Goldberg as well as Kelly Sparks and Ram Bhakt. Participants include Long Beach School of Yoga, Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris, and New Braj. The celebration will take place at the Mike Ward Community Park with free parking and $5 suggested donation.
Telluride Yoga Festival
July 9-12. Telluride, Colorado.
The stunning setting of Telluride, Colorado offers gorgeous settings for their eighth annual four-day Telluride Yoga Festival, which brings together more than 600 enthusiastic participants. Begin a balanced day with morning meditation followed by over 100 events to choose from at 11 spectacular venues. This year offers the most extensive schedule yet, covering a wide range of styles and levels with over 40 instructors, philosophers, musicians, healers, and nutrition and lifestyle coaches. Teachers include Sianna Sherman, Christina Sell, Tias Little, Gina Caputo, Micheline Berry, and Peter Sterios. Enjoy local music, SUP (stand up paddleboard) yoga at Alta Lakes, a farm to table dinner, and conversations at cocktail receptions with presenters. While you’re in town, make sure to hike Telluride’s Via Ferrata to capture the amazing views of Bridal Veil Falls and the Telluride Valley.
Moksha Festival
July 11-12. Los Angeles, California
Connect your heart’s energy to the present moment with an urban festival celebrating the best of the traditional practices of yoga, Ayurveda, mantra, music, and holistic healing that are shared in Los Angeles. Converge on the Downtown LA Convention Center for an event that promises to create magic with a celebration of wellness, spiritual expansion and conscious living. The weekend offers more than 40 workshops and performances including sacred music and kirtan, yoga, Ayurveda, energy medicine, breath work, health and nutrition, sacred music, spiritual film and spirit dance. The stellar line-up of instructors includes Sara Ivanhoe, Joan Hyman, Jeanne Heileman, Mark Whitwell, Dr. Lorin Roche, Felicia Tomasko. Dance the weekend away to artists including Dave Stringer, Sean Johnson and The Wild Lotus Band, Shimshai, Karnamrita Dasi, Masood Ali Khan, and Art of Living Kirtan.
Wanderlust Squaw Valley
July 16-19. North Lake Tahoe
In the energy of Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe, Wanderlust offers an experience for the mind, body, and soul, nurturing you with new friends and discoveries in a weekend for seasoned yogis, meditators, and new wanderers. Celebrate mindful living with yoga and meditation instructors, musicians, speakers, artists, and renowned chefs. Explore a new class style, stand up paddle board or aerial yoga. Be inspired by a diverse musical lineup that will have you jumping, or acoustic settings that will guide straight into savasana/final relaxation. Travel into a world of learning at The Speakeasy, the festival’s lecture series on leading a mindful life. Be nourished by creative vendors in the Food Co-op or the Farm to Table Dinner.
Wanderlust.com/festivals/squaw-valley
Tiffany Palazzini is on the Surfrider Executive Committee team as an earth lover & tree hugger recycling one butt at a time.