It’s ecstatically dancing it’s way closer to us every day. As festival season approaches, it’s time to get your shift together and prepare for an unforgettable season under the sun, amongst glowing friends, bubbles, bass, and wild costumes.
This year is a little different for me. After years of participating in what these festivals had to offer, it realised that it’s finally time to give back on a level greater than just free-hugs and breakfast parades (which, for the record, is still happening). This year, I’ve decided to put my passions out to share with the world and will be facilitating a workshop as well as performing at Astral Harvest for its 10th anniversary!!! So, in celebration of that, I am offering 5 tips that I believe will help prepare you for Astral Harvest.
Happy Harvest everybody!
Tip #1: Always come prepared.
Whether its for the ever-changing and ever-gorgeous Northern Alberta weather OR just for a smooth festival experience, it’s better to be prepared than not. Astral is infamous for surprising attendees with it’s torrential downpours, foggy dawns, scorching midday sun and mosquitoes. Lots and lots of mosquitoes. Don’t worry, there are so many of them that you’ll forget there was ever life before mosquito land. I once brought a homemade repellent and came back with about a hundred bites. Needless to say, go big or go home because those suckers suck hard.
Tip #2: Let your inner child (or actual child) run wild!
Since Astral Harvest strongly encourages family and community building, expect to see some wee ones gettin’ down on the dancefloor! But don’t let it cramp your style! You may learn a move or two from these rad beans. Also, if you’re a parent, there’s a kid zone with games, activities and shows designed just for the little harvesters.
Tip #3: Explore the variety inside Angelica’s Basket
Looking to get away from the bass but still want to be a part of the energy hub? Look no further! Nestled right in the center of the festival grounds, just like the native plant that this stage borrowed its name from, lies Angelica’s Basket. A magical stage that offers a haven for artists and appreciators to bask in the varied forms of performance.
By day, it is the main venue for Astral Harvard (see tip #4) and by night it is transformed into a realm of artistic expression where spoken word, burlesque, live music, comedy, freak shows and more all come together to create the most diverse stage Astral has to offer!
Tip #4: Restore brain cells at Astral Harvard
After all the dancing and frolicking your body will go through this weekend, your brain deserves some TLC too! By checking out some of the eclectic workshop offerings at this festival, your mind body and spirit will all be thanking you. You won’t just find yoga and hula-hooping workshops here. Instead you’ll find Laughter Yoga, Human Rights vs. Human Frights (anarchists haven!), Freestyle & Flow: a women’s hip hop circle (shameless self-promotion), Rave 101, ecstatic dance journeys, beginners slack-lining and many many more!
Tip #5: Don’t be that guy…
You know the one, they’re a rare breed these days but their remnants still linger on. I’m talking that one person who leaves a mess and doesn’t clean it up. The ultimate failure. Astral Harvest is on gorgeous grounds that also hosts North Country Fair a couple weekends before. This means that there is a high amount of traffic within those two weeks and it is absolutely necessary to maintain the pristine beauty of these grounds in order to keep the festival going. What better way to give back to the land that hosted some unforgettable moments than by leaving it cleaner than when you arrived. Why? Because leaving no trace is sexy.
Catch Kelsey performing her spoken word & music set at Angelica's Basket as well as facilitating a workshop the 'Freestyle & Flow: A Women's Hip Hop Circle' at Astral Harvest. I'll be there too, supporting this beautiful, inspiring so come say hi!
Astral Harvest is in Edmonton Alberta
July 14 - 17 2017
Snap up a ticket here!
