Looking for something to do this July? We are thrilled yoga festivals are back and can’t wait to check out all the amazing events taking place around the world. This week we had a chance to connect with Samantha Grout, Founder of The OM Festival who we are thrilled to partner with! Complimentary copies of our magazine will be available at this festival!

What are you most excited about for this year’s festival

This is the 3rd annual Om Festival we are headed into this July. First, I would say that we are thrilled to have so many “Omies” returning, both attendees and musicians/teachers. Every single soul in attendance adds something special to the collective energy and we have some powerfully amazing Omies. Once you attend your first Om you are an Om’ie for life.

This year promises to be full of growth, learning, expansion, and fun. We have some wonderful new additions to our schedule such as SUP yoga, float sound healing sessions on the pond, paint n sip workshops as well as several super fun playshops. We are all about promoting a vibe of love, acceptance, creativity, and transformation for all attendees.

What is unique/special about the festival location?

The Om Festival is set in idyllic little Arlington, Vermont. This is the hometown of the main founder of Om, Samantha Grout, as well as our Marketing Guru/Goddess of Creation, Sarah Barendse-Elrod. They chose to hold it in and on the picturesque and majestic grounds of the historic West Mountain Inn set on 175 acres above the famous Battenkill River, owned by Amie Emmons, also an Om founder.

Arlington was the original capital of Vermont. Though the original state tree was taken down in a windstorm in 1979, the replanted replacement still stands, half a mile down the road from the festival site. It was planted not only by Richard Snelling, Governor at the time, but also by Sarah Barendse-Elrod, (age 4 at the time) who was helping her dad, Pierre Barendse, a local landscaper and happens to be right below Sam’s house and the Vermont Leadership Center on Red Mountain.  Make sure to set some time aside to find this tree!

Arlington is a hidden gem in the green mountain state. Quaint, serene, and beautiful. Green grass, wild flowers, roaring rivers, dirt roads, and summer sunshine… This area of Vermont sits atop of quartz, amethysts, and other stone formations that add wonderful energy to the area. Visitors often remark as to how relaxed they feel commenting that they “finally feel like they can breathe!”

Is there a theme for this year’s festival?

Embrace Your Awakening. The Golden age is being ushered in and so many are waking up to the truth of who and what they are. Om is the place this July  to celebrate and join with others on those high vibe levels for great food, incredible music, mind expanding classes, and a whole lot of fun away from it all playtime.

The theme of our issue is “celebrating age.” If you could share a message or piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be? 

I think our biggest pieces of advice would be:

1. Learn to listen and really tune into your inner knowing. It is your GPS guidance system!
2. Don’t be in such a rush. Enjoy every moment and fully appreciate all of the people in your world. Time goes by fast, and you never know how long you get to keep those you love. Take the time to celebrate and really enjoy your life.

That is why we are so excited about Om as it is truly a transformative retreat experience for your sacred soul where you can escape the stress of daily life and the green screen and be in the mountains.

Looking for something to do this July? We are thrilled yoga festivals are back and can’t wait to check out all the amazing events taking place around the world. This week we had a chance to connect with Sara LaStella, Founder and Director of Love Shine Play who we are thrilled to partner with! Complimentary copies of our magazine will be available at this festival!

What are you most excited about for this year’s festival?
2025 is a special year because our city is emerging from its most difficult season yet, having been torn through by hurricane Helene. We are back and better and ready to bring some good energy into the city. We are welcoming some incredible new presenters, like Seane Corn, and bringing back some of our favorites for a lineup that is filled with love. We’ll be offering moments of Seva, reflection, nature immersion, bhakti, play and so much more!

What is unique/special about the festival location?
Love, Shine, Play is an urban setting festival, located right in the middle of vibrant downtown Asheville. Our classes take place in historic and new venues that embody the eclectic vibe of our city, all while being surrounded by the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains, just a stones throw away.

Is there a theme to this year’s festival?
We know that life can sometimes feel overwhelming and challenging, we are here for all of it, The Mess & The Magic.

The theme of our issue is “celebrating age.” If you could share a message or piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be? 
Take big leaps, move and use your body to its full capacity, make mistakes without regret, choose to find the beauty in every moment.