by Kara-Leah Grant
That little girl in a photo from Wanderlust Aspen says it all…
This is it folks… if you’re anything like me, this is something you’ve been dreaming about for a couple of years – New Zealand & Australia’s very own four and three day mindful living festivals embracing yoga, music and a whole swack of fun.
Yes, details for Wanderlust Great Lake Taupo and Wanderlust Cockatoo Island have been officially announced.
Down below you’ll find the official press release with all the juicy details including a heads-up on some of the top name yoga teachers heading our way.
Sydney’s line-up has yet to be announced, but in New Zealand we’ll be seeing Ana Forest, Eoin Finn, Kerri Kelly, Suzanne Sterling, Tiffany Cruikshank and Cameron Shayne, plus a great line-up of Australasian yoga teachers.
New Zealand Yoga has never seen anything like it… now is the time to start thinking about booking time off work, getting your friends and family together and buying your tickets.
See you there! (And don’t miss the video at the end showing the highlights of Wanderlust NZ and Australia 2014.)
THE ULTIMATE MINDFUL LIVING FESTIVAL DOWNUNDER THIS SUMMER
Two huge celebrations at breath-taking venues will offer unforgettable yoga, awesome music, intriguing speakers, delicious organics, eco-living, outdoor adventure and more:
Wanderlust Great Lake Taupo
Wairakei Resort, Taupo, New Zealand
Thursday January 29th – Sunday February 1st
Wanderlust Cockatoo Island
Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour, NSW Australia
Friday February 20th – Sunday February 22nd
cockatooisland.wanderlustfestival.com
Wanderlust Festival, the fast-growing global yoga lifestyle event, follows-up its hugely successful 2014 downunder launch series in Melbourne, Auckland and Sydney with multi-day summer festivals to be held in two of Australasia’s most stunning and unique resorts.
These one-of-a-kind getaways will be held in the height of the 2015 southern hemisphere summer and are expected to attract over 10,000 attendees who will experience transformative yoga, adventurous outdoor activities, organic dining by renowned chefs and sustainable brands, local wines, craft beers, family fun, art, live music and a thought-provoking speakeasy series.
The Wanderlust series begins in Great lake Taupo, New Zealand (Jan 29 – Feb 1), at the iconic Wairakei Thermal Resort – luxuriously set amidst soaring volcanic peaks, healing geothermals, bush-clad hills, the country’s best hiking and mountain bike trails, the dramatic Huka Falls and Australasia’s largest fresh water lake.
Three weeks later the series concludes on Cockatoo Island Sydney, NSW Australia (Feb 20 – 22). Situated on the world famous Sydney Harbour, this heritage listed island steeped in Aussie history is newly gentrified and the perfect spot for an innovative festival. An island oasis amidst Australia’s biggest city, Cockatoo Island is the ideal place to “find your true north” with Wanderlust.
Wanderlust Downunder festival director Jonnie Halstead says Wanderlust is very excited and proud to partner with these amazing venues for the festival.
“The Taupo District Council and Wairakei Resort in New Zealand, plus the truly unique Cockatoo Island managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, now join a glamorous list of some of the world’s most renowned resorts that have hosted Wanderlust including places like Aspen, Whistler and O’ahu,” Halstead says.
“Wanderlust is an opportunity to grow the mindful living community and to help the like-minded connect with nature and each other,” he says. “The magical places where Wanderlust is held have inspired us to continually innovate in terms of how people can work harmoniously with nature in these spaces.”
“We look forward to bringing people together to celebrate, exchange ideas and experience the best things in life.”
The multi-day retreats will gather together yoga enthusiasts, families, foodies and mindful adventurers for an unforgettable getaway. Wanderlusters can stay onsite either in four-star hotel accommodation, “glamping” tents or they can choose to stay with the plethora of accommodation offerings just a short shuttle bus [in Taupo] or ferry ride [in Sydney] away.
Attendees can practice yoga from renowned instructors, take in live music from some of today’s best conscious artists, attend inspiring lectures, venture into outdoor activities such as hiking, paddle-boarding, mountain biking, and indulge in organic delicacies.An impressive line-up of both local and international talent will bring together the conscious community in one life-changing celebration.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Festival highlights:
YOGA—Hit the mat with world-renowned yoga instructors encompassing a vast variety of yoga styles and personal tastes.
The New Zealand line-up features big international names such as: Ana Forest, Eoin Finn, Kerri Kelly, Suzanne Sterling, Tiffany Cruikshank and Cameron Shayne join Australasia’s own Duncan Peak, Claudine & Honza Lafond, Mark Whitwell, Nikki Ralston, Kara-Leah Grant and more. Sydney’s full announcement will follow shortly, there is some exciting talent coming on-board with the finer details being confirmed as we send this.
Dedicated yogis right through to beginners have three options for tickets: full festival ‘Sage’ passes, 3 day ‘Seeker’ passes or chose any combination of single-days with a ‘Pilgrim’ pass. These will go on-sale via wanderlust.com in late August – early September once the full event schedule is released.
These tickets provide full access across the entire schedule of events (accommodation, food and beverage, and third party adventure activities are additional).
MUSIC – Jam out with conscious artists like Xavier Rudd, Nahko & Medicine for the People, Nightmares on Wax (DJset), The Twoks and the yoga disco beats of DJ HyFi. Local support includes big names like Sola Rosa, DJ Spragga, Dick Johnson,Aroha, Anna Coddington and Esther Stephens to name a few. Sydney’s full announcement will follow shortly, with some amazing surprises in store for the Aussie crowds.
NATURE – Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages will delight in the full range of adventurous activities, which offer spectacular views such as explorative hikes, adventure runs, and destination biking, SUP yoga and even meditative rafting.
TALKS – Attendees will be inspired by the Speakeasy series, a lecture programme featuring today’s most mindful business and spiritual thought leaders: Dr Libby, former lululemon Atheltica Australasia head-honcho Alexie O’Brien, vanguard artist Matteo Charles, global photographer Pete Longworth and internationally recognised meditation teacher Swami Govindananda and many more.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS – A collection of imaginative activities like AcroYoga, hooping, suspension yoga, and slacklining will be available. Daily family yoga classes will be offered, allowing kids of all ages to learn and practice yoga alongside their parents.
For more information and tickets please visit: www.wanderlustfestival.com.
MEET THE FESTIVAL DIRECTORS
Wanderlust partner Yoga Events Australia New Zealand LTD is the events company of NZ-born Jonnie Halstead who has an extensive background in large-scale events and music festivals, while his wife Jacque Halstead is a yoga teacher of eight years who hails from the United States’ Pacific Northwest.
After hearing about and taking part in a Wanderlust Festival overseas, the couple was inspired to bring the festival down under. Now Jacque and Jonnie’s two worlds truly marry with the fusion of yoga and music events.
The pair also have backgrounds in the hospitality and tourism industries. As nature lovers, greenies at heart and parents of a young family, this empowered couple sees Wanderlust Downunder becoming an event series that attracts yogis, music lovers, eco warriors and families alike.
About Wanderlust
Wanderlust Festival, LLC is a producer of large-scale lifestyle festival events focusing on yoga, music and wellness. Its flagship festival, Wanderlust, was first launched in Squaw Valley, California in 2009 and has already become the largest multi-day yoga event in the world as well as a significant player in the larger US festival market.
The company was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between Velour Music Group, an artist management company and event producer based in New York City, C3 Presents and Starr Hill Presents, event producers responsible for the top music festival brands in the country, including Austin City Limits Festival, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and Outside Lands. For more information, please visit
www.wanderlustfestival.com.
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/WanderlustFestivalAustralia or http://www.facebook..com/WanderlustFestivalNZ
TWITTER https://twitter.com/WanderlustOZ or https://twitter.com/WanderlustNZ
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