For an entire decade now, Adrienne White has hosted an amazing annual event in the region called Karma Yoga Fest. With this being the 10th Anniversary year, White had massive plans for a 3-day festival culminating in a huge community event in collaboration with the Krasl Art Center and the hot group, The Accidentals. And then the pandemic stepped right into the middle of it all, much as it has for many other summer festivals, events, outings and beyond.
However, Adrienne White is a fighter extraordinaire and she insists, they will persevere on a smaller scale with “a more locally focused event.” She promises, “It is still going to be great, and we — as always — will be donating the profits from this event back into our community.” This year her Studio, The Collective, plans to use funds generated by the 10th Anniversary Karma Yoga Fest to assist those in danger of losing a local business or home, or event needing to fee their family due to the effects from the shut down mandate. Over the years they have raised over $50,000 for local causes. There is an application on her event website linked below for those who would like to apply to benefit from the Yoga Fest.
Karma Yoga Fest, from The Collective, will take place outside of the new home of the studio along the banks of the Paw Paw River at 401 Klock Road in Benton Harbor.
The event will celebrate a very powerful weekend with the Summer Solstice on June 20th and a lunar eclipse on June 21st.
The festival kicks-off with a live Zoom training –Yoga For Trauma– from @mindfulyogatherapy. That 4-day training can be accessed anywhere in the world, and will also stream live @collective_bh if you prefer to be in community. Training dates will run from Thursday June 18th- through Sunday, June 21st. All trainees receive free entry to Karma Yoga Fest as part of the training and it includes a special guest presentation by acclaimed photographer @robertsturman who has explored trauma through his camera lens and the manner in which yoga can help to heal. Information to register can be found at: http://rebelco-op.com.
The Friday Celebration begins with check-in at The Collective from 6:30-7:15p with Music by The Backups, featuring Morgan Ingle, Meredith Best George, and Leslie Sypian. For those interested, dinner can be ordered for later in the evening.
From 7:15 to 8:30pm, the fest will feature Dark Side of the Moon Yoga with Meghan Engledow & Adrienne Alane White and a Yoga Flow with Wim Hof Breathing and Mediation to the entire Pink Floyd Album.
At 8:30pm, the fest hosts A Yoga Journey presentation live via Zoom with Robert Sturman ~ Artist/Photografía.
At 9:30pm, EnLIGHTened, an outdoor Art Piece with Larie Underwood and Friends, takes the spotlight to wrap up the evening.
The next day, Karma Yoga Fest launches the Saturday Summer Solstice with a 5k Fun Run with Amanda Losch Yoga beginning at 8am.
At 9am, Adrienne White & Luke Andresen will kick off 108 Sun Salutes with Live Drumming.
At 10:30am, the Fest will undergo the Savasana Sound Bath, followed at 11:15am by Healing Tonglen Meditation during which you can send healing to yourself and the entire world.
At noon the festival will be given over to a Panel Discussion regarding Post Traumatic Stress Growth possibilities at Benton Harbor’s Resiliency Plaza across from City Hall.
Throughout the day, the festival will also feature Stand Up Paddleboarding & Yoga Classes as well as Aerial Yoga classes with April Kelly, Amanda Losch and Maria Vettraino.
White says, “It’s going to be an awesome day of yoga and giving back. This is our 10-Year Anniversary of donating all profits from this yoga festival.”
