Free Spirit Festival: A Celebration of Well-being

By Ewa Chwojko-Srawley

The Free Spirit Festival held at ClearWater Farm on July 2 brought together residents of Georgina and visitors from as far as Quebec!

They came to escape from everyday life’s demands and stresses, immerse themselves in a nurturing environment, and focus on rejuvenating activities, such as yoga, meditation, and spa.

Festival organizers Jacinta Yang and Jennifer Aves are thrilled with the event’s outcome.

“I wanted to bring something new and amazing to Georgina,” says Yang, “and create an event that would attract tourists. We had attendees from Montreal, Ottawa, Peterborough, and other places.”

Aves adds, “Participants enjoyed live music, art displays, delicious food, and engaging activities, all in the beautiful surrounding of the Clearwater Farm. Our souls are supercharged! We are ready for next year!”

Guest of honour, Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk, who opened the event, is excited that Georgina has a new festival.

“I am happy to attend this event and to see people trying new things,” she said.

Stacey Holliday, from Keswick, admits she was intrigued by the festival poster. She came with her husband and daughter to see what it was all about.

“My daughter is into yoga,” she said, “so we came to experience different yoga sessions and find inspiration for leading a balanced life.”

Kendra Shae-Marie Mullings, owner of Kendra Yoga Studio, one of seven facilitators, says, “I feel wonderful to be included in this event. There are lots of positive people here; this energy surrounds us. I am excited to have this festival in Georgina, and I hope we will have it every year.”

Live music, dance and visual arts enriched the experience, making the festival a truly holistic and moving event. Several local musicians uplifted our spirit, and a display of original paintings provided a visual feast.

Kristina Moraru, a mixed media artist and photographer, founder of kri8mor Artists Collective, said, “I met Jacinda through Yspace, and we knew it would be a good fit to display our artwork during the event. People who meditate, who do yoga also appreciate the arts.”

Over 200 attendees engaged in wellness activities. They connected with each other and enhanced their overall well-being. Jacinta smiled as she said, “We created a sense of community and brought together like-minded people. We hope the participants had the opportunity to broaden their horizons and that we will see each other again next year!”