More activities, special guests to enhance the experience

In its second year, Yoga Farm Fest, a new large-scale event bringing the wellness community together to celebrate mind, body and soul, is coming to south Shreveport April 26-28. This inspirational weekend at 10560 Ellerbe Road (known as the Perkins Property) will be filled with yoga, meditation, qigong, hula-hooping, stand-up paddle boarding (SUP), live music, farm-to-table food prepared by local chefs, acupuncture, massage and more in a beautiful outdoor setting.

Festival founders Sarah Sledge, Emily Sample and Haley Bagwell have been planning the 2019 festival with an expansion of activities since last year’s successful weekend event that drew 400 people. Emily Sample explains, “Our goal was to create a collaborative experience that allows everyone to relax, rejuvenate and restore. We are excited to continue to produce this unique festival in our community that draws people from all over the Ark-La-Tex.”

Attendees will be able to walk the beautiful grounds and visit the “Wellness Village,” “Healing Village,” “Kids’ ‘Village,” “Retail Therapy Village” and the “Stand-Up Paddle Board Pond.” H2Go Paddle out of Monroe will also be providing demonstrations of paddle boards in the SUP Pond location.

Each of these villages will feature a variety of speakers and demonstrations of a variety of traditional and non-traditional healing arts that include massage therapy, essential oils, dry needling and more.

The “Wellness Village” will be featuring many local physicians such as Dr. Jennifer Singh, Dr. Karen Pendleton and Dr. Adam Blancher speaking throughout the day about a variety of health-related topics.

Many of this year’s yoga stage musicians are new headliners and will be traveling from many different cities to perform at this year’s festival. Making appearances: Nicole Peltier, who specializes in “Rock N Hip Hop Yoga” from Tulsa, Okla.; Rachael and Josh Riley, meditation specialists from New Orleans; and Ally Ford, from Clearwater, Fla., who specializes in “Rocket Yoga,” which is a specialized form of yoga that began in San Francisco in the 1980s; and Anton Mackey coming from Phoenix, Ariz.

Healthy foods will also be on hand at the festival with Ki Mexico, Fat Calf Boucherie, Well-Fed, and Scratch House Kitchen serving and selling a variety of healthy choice food options, many focusing on locally sourced food and beverages.

Kids will have a special place to hang on Saturday at the “Kids’ Village,” which will feature their own yoga, hooping, and arts and crafts.

In between visiting each village and participating in yoga classes, attendees can relax in fabric hammocks provided by Sportspectrum in the ENO Village.

The festival begins on Friday night with a registration packet and swag bag pick-up at Red River Brewing from 5-8 p.m. Registration will also include live music with Rob Riccardo, one of the featured weekend musicians coming from Arizona. His integrated style of folk, rock and reggae-infused music has become a favorite at yoga-inspired events. Tickets for the entire weekend of activities is $125, which is a discounted rate for both days. Saturday- or Sundayonly tickets are $75 each.

Children 12 and under are free. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at yogafarmfest.com.

The festival will open at 9 a.m. on Saturday with parking available across the street in the Ellerbe Road Baptist Church parking lot. Saturday activities featuring local and national instructors and musicians will begin at 10 a.m. and continue through 5 p.m. on the Yoga & Music Stage. Main stage classes are open to all, and no yoga experience is required.

On Sunday, activities start at 9 a.m. through 11 a.m. and are followed by a unique farm to table family-style brunch with Ki Mexico, Sample Farm and live music.

To wrap up the essence of the festival, co-founder Sarah Sledge states, “Our festival is more than just yoga and music – wellness is really at the heart of this event, and the addition of the Wellness Village allows fest-goers to connect all the elements – nature, nutrition, activity and community.”

Ice chests and coolers will not be permitted on the event grounds. Rain or shine, the festival will happen. For additional information, visit yogafarmfest.com or email questions to theyogafarmfest@gmail.com.