By Crystal Harrell
Bhakti Fest, Southern California’s renowned yoga and spiritual music festival, will make its return to the beautiful Joshua Lake & Campground over the weekend of September 15-17. Bhakti Fest is a pioneering gathering known for yoga, kirtan, and other spiritual and conscious music, meditation, sound healing, vegetarian cuisine, therapeutic bodywork, spiritual study, conscious community, and transformation that continues to serve as a beacon for spiritual seekers worldwide. After a COVID-driven break since 2019, the festival is excited to welcome its fans home.
The all-star yoga teacher lineup includes Seane Corn, Yogrishi Vishvketu, Shiva Rea, Kia Miller, Andrew Sealy, Raghunath Das, Hemalayaa & DTO, Tommy Rosen, Devasonic, Natalie Valle, and Carmen Curtis from ARIEL Yoga, Tejal Patel, Allison Eaton, Govind Das & Jacqueline Michelle, Harpinder Kaur Mann, MC Yogi & Amanda Giacomini, and local favorite, Urban Yoga’s Kristin Olson. From those who have never stepped foot on a yoga mat to those who don’t travel without one, all student levels are welcome and encouraged to attend.
A curator of sacred sound, Bhakti Fest will host non-stop Kirtan and chant, along with other conscious music, across various musical genres, including blues, rock, pop, gospel, traditional, and hip-hop. 2023 headliners include transformational music legend Michael Franti, and Grammy nominees Krishna Das and Pato Banton, MC YOGI, Desert Dwellers, Snow Raven, Sol Rising, DJ Drez & Marti Nikko, Ayla Nereo, Amritakripa, Satsang, Radhika Das, Fantuzzi, Egeman Sanli, David Starfire, Raghunath Das, The Hanuman Project, Nina Rao, Gina Sala, Karnamrita Dasi, and more.
Bhakti Fest provides participants with the unique opportunity to interact and learn from some of the greatest luminaries of our time. Workshop leaders include Radhanath Swami, Jai Dev Singh, Michael Brian Baker, Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji, Nidhi Pandya, Indy Singh, Scott Blossom, Reginald Hubbard, Zoe Kors, and Tejal Patel.
The Bhakti Fest Sound Temple offers immersive sound bath experiences for transcendent relaxation from sound healing artists Divasonic, Natalie Valle, Santosh Das and Ange, Sonic Devas Trio, The Sound Mind Garden, Kim Tang, Spencer James Larson, and Heather Ash Amara.
Kia Miller, Tommy Rosen, and Indy Singh will offer pre-festival intensives and a post-festival intensive by Govind Day & Shiva Rea, and Michael Brian Baker.
“We are so thrilled to be collaborating with such an amazing lineup of talent for the return of Bhakti Fest this year. It is awesome, seeing how excited the community is for it to be back and to gather again after the past few years,” stated Festival producer, Bella Silberfei.
Bhakti Fest is family-friendly too—with the cool shade of Kids’ Land providing fun, physical, creative, musical, and conscious activities for parents and children to enjoy time together.
Discounts are available for both kids and teens.
Bhaktis will feast on various raw, vegan, and vegetarian food and beverage options. There is an extensive Vendor Marketplace with eco-friendly, sustainable vendors offering clothing, devotional art, musical instruments, CDs, crafts, jewelry, and more.Accommodations onsite include glamping, camping, and RV parking. There are also several hotels within a few miles of the campground that offer discounts for attendees.
With a world-class lineup of musicians and yoga instructors, conscious workshops, and artisan vendors, Bhakti Fest offers the most heart-opening, consciousness-raising experience in the iconic setting of Joshua Tree. Attendees describe the festival as “immersed in the greatest conscious party you have ever experienced, filled with music, yoga, dancing, love, light, and heart-centered community.”
Tickets for Bhakti Fest 2023 are available at https://aftontickets.com/event/buyticket/1g9g8elj8v
The non-profit festival donates a percentage of its funds to charities and other nonprofit groups that provide food, education, and environmental beautification programs worldwide. These include Food for Life Vrindavan, Love Serve Remember Foundation, Ramana’s Garden, Share Your Care, and the Seva Foundation. Discounts are available for locals, seniors, students, and kids.
For more information, visit bhaktifest.com.
