Envisioning a More Sustainable Festival: Envision Festival 2018
I wrote a few months ago about attending my first Envision festival: the fun, the challenges, and the fact that I’m already ready to go back to the 2018 festival. And the time is upon us: tickets are now on sale and they just released the 2017 aftermovie to highlight all the aspects of the festival (which you can watch above!).
I like to explain Envision as a cross between Burning Man (which I’ve never been to) and Wanderlust (of which I’ve attended many). The festival is founded on eight core principles that really resonate with me and make me want to keep coming back year after year:
+ Permaculture
Creating a growing system that incorporates food crops and practical plants, and builds a nourishing habitat that benefits the people, the plants, the soil, and the greater ecosystem holistic to the people. The Envision folks have rehabilitated degraded former cattle land in Costa Rica using permaculture practices, and have turned it into a jungle of practical and edible plants. Not only is is beautiful, it’s rehabilitating the land in a way that ensures long-term sustainability.
+ Green Building (EcoBuilding)
It takes months for the Envision team to build an 8,000 people festival out of the jungle, but that’s what they do! Using natural bamboo and other products they build the Village, the campgrounds, and stages from the earth. Read more about the eco-building principles at Envision. and follow strict leave no trace principles during the festival.
+ Movement
Yoga, dance, surfing, and just PLAYING is a core element of the festival. There are yoga classes all day, hoop dances all night, and shaking your butt at one of the four stages all night. I’m not really an all-night kinda girl, but it’s there for YOU!
+ Spirituality
Envision brings sacred elements into the everyday with herbs, ceremony, and community talks and more.
+ Health
If you can imagine the most vegan friendly food village ever… this might be close to what you’ll find at Envision. Falafel, burgers, pizza, raw foods, smoothies, cold brew coffee with fresh-made coconut milk, herbal elixirs and so.much.more. Fresh fruit and coconuts abound, and all food is served on reusable plates/cups which makes all this great food even more delicious.
Piles of homemade beet-cabbage kraut, a vegan burger, and mixed veggies on the side – all served on ‘rented’ plates and utensils (and a banana leaf to make it a super sustainable meal)
+ Art
Some of the most incredible art I’ve ever seen! Paintings, wood art, stage work, body paint, and literally every other form of artistic expression is welcomed here.
+ Music
Music all day and night to keep you dancing, and quiet drumming circles and sacred ceremony to help you listen to the music of your soul.
+ Community
Is this the future of humanity? Living in communal fashion with zero-waste lifestyle that is focused on connection and play for humans of all ages? Seems like it might be the cure we need for what ails us.
I’ve already started looking at airline tickets for Costa Rica… will I see you there? Tickets went on sale June 7. Get them here! Tickets start at just $244, which is probably the deal of a lifetime.