OmFest Colorado Returns to Denver Sept 15
OmFest Colorado returns to Denver for it's fifth year on Saturday, September 15th for a full day of outdoor yoga, fitness, music, and local vendors at Founder's Green.
OmFest began when Jeannene Orofino moved to Denver from New York (where she worked as a yoga teacher) and wondered why Denver didn't have a local yoga festival. Together with two local yoga instructors, the three woman created a family-friendly yoga festival for the Denver community. “Our goal was to make a local festival that was affordable, because a lot of people can’t afford the other festivals with big-name teachers that they fly in,” Orofino remembers.
This year's OmFest features local talent within the yoga and fitness community, musicians, food trucks, seven local artisans, local breweries and wineries! They've also incorporated fun for the whole family with yoga for all ages, kids activities and free admission for those 12 and under. Every hour from 9am to 6:30pm there will be a yoga or fitness class (or both) with the day culminating in a live DJ and drummer teaming up to take us into the evening.
Tickets can be purchased online for $49 at http://omfestcolorado.com/
Lifestyle | Wanderlusting in Aspen-Snowmass | Review
Wanderlust Festival (Photo Credit: Ali Kaukas)
Wanderlust Festival bestowed the gift of positive energy, music, healthy eats, and, of course, delicious yoga over July 4th weekend. Aspen, Colorado is one mountain town that needs no introduction. The sweeping landscape, the sunshine, the fresh air, and the plethora of outdoor sports is a haven for a mindful festival like Wanderlust Festival.
The layout of the festival was vaster than in past years at Copper Mountain. It forced you to unintentionally explore Snowmass Village, either by gondola or hike, from one end to the other. The festival staff did a tremendous job of turning conference room spaces into a pseudo yoga studio with different lighting, rugs, and geometric altars donned with organic trinkets. The space felt intentional and inviting. This is something that in past years was not given any attention so it felt like you were doing yoga in, well, a conference room. Not the most grounding experience.
Wanderlusting in Aspen (Photo Credit: Ali Kaukas)
The festival has evolved and seen improvements, much like the yoga spaces, in other areas as well. The music scene had more variety, which catered to a wider crowd. Of course, the resident dj’s, Moby and DJ Drez, were both present. Singer-songwriter Nikki Lane offered a style different from the eclectic, electronic beats we’re used to hearing at Wanderlust. The folk-rock vocals were the perfect pair to a cloudless afternoon. High and Mighty Brass Band had a lively, party-like way of having a presence. Throughout the festival they would stop, drop, and get down. It could be mid-afternoon amongst a sea of people hustling from class to class and they were shaking Snowmass Village with their buoyant sound, reminding attendees that it’s okay to slow down and shimmy and shake with a stranger! Sometimes yoga can be so serious and personal that we forget the community aspect. Live music brings out the creativity and movement that is a delicious compliment to an inward practice.
Wanderlust Festival Aspen-Snowmass (Photo Credit: Ali Kaukas)
The festival was a beautiful success, per usual. We can’t say enough of the venue, the people, the teachers, and the vendors. It’s a weekend well worth the dollar spent as you leave feeling fulfilled and rejuvenated. As a teacher, I left feeling inspired by my fellow yogis who consistently push themselves physically, mentally, and spiritually. This festival has seen tremendous growth over the past few years, spanning the world, and I can’t wait to find out where they will go next. I am appreciative that they allowed us to capture the journey and share it with you.
-Amanda Spilos
Lifestyle | Wanderlust Festival Headed Back To Colorado | July 4th Weekend
Photo Credit: Ali Kaukas
It’s that time of year again! The sun is out and the temps are high. As we start to move our yoga practice from indoors to outdoors, Wanderlust Festival invites you to participate in a weekend of mindfulness, asana, eatery, and great music during Fourth of July weekend at Aspen-Snowmass. A weekend filled with yoga and meditation, outdoor adventures like biking, hiking, and SUP yoga (a raving trend of downdoggin’ on a paddle board), you’re not-so-typical college lectures, an array of musical talent, and a Farm to Table dinner experience to tie the weekend together. This incredible festival has grown exponentially over the past few years, spreading awareness for the yoga community from Vermont to Hawaii to British Columbia and in between. The weekend will leave you feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the world with a clear mind.
Photo Credit: Ali Kaukas