19/07/2017
In its first year, FloVibe is something a little bit different. Intimate and family friendly this is a ‘retreat meets music festival’. It boasts a range of wellness related activities throughout the day, alongside partying deep into the night - all against a beautiful lakeside backdrop.
Arriving mid-Saturday morning, the first thing that struck me was the grandeur of Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens where the festival was hosted. It’s surrounded by beautiful trees, lakes and lights - stunning! I was feeling zen already. There were people working out, some taking naps, a few paddle boarding, children playing – just happy vibes. Everyone seemed to be at ease and there was a feeling of peacefulness all around.
If you were here for the whole weekend there would be no shortage of wholesome activities to fill your time with. They have fitness classes being run by fit HIIT, which involves fast paced movements using minimum equipment. I didn’t get to try it myself but for everyone that tried it, it was certainly a big ‘hit’ (sorry, that was poor...).
There were talks on a range of subjects around wellness, from nutrition to mindfulness, and you can practice meditation under the guidance of experienced teachers - there was even a group meditation happening on a bus, very novel.
There were extra treatments available in the woods, including massages, reflexology and deep tissue work – all made more relaxing by the setting of the great outdoors.
Within an hour of arriving we joined in with a large outdoor yoga class. Now I’ve dabbled in yoga but am FAR from an expert. I would say to someone thinking of going to this festival that you don’t have to be hugely experienced in any of the wellness practices, an interest is enough. There are people of all levels of experience and helpers on hand to assist you, really, no ones judging.
Towards the end of the session the instructor encouraged people to start dancing, this was met with no resistance. The crowd transitioned onto the grass and leapt around in bare feet. It was exhilarating, felt organic and spontaneous, this was my most memorable experience of the festival.
I tried two meals whilst I was there, the first was a Hake burger from the Japanese stand and the second was a beef burger...I like burgers! I particularly enjoyed the beef one, as the festival gets bigger I look forward to seeing the selection of food grow with it.
The music stage had a variety of acts from beatboxers to folk music. The later in the day it got the more people it seemed to attract. The crowd’s energy really seemed to increase for D.J Xander who uses little more then a microphone and a loop pedal to entertain. The organisers did a good job of finding music that fit well with the festival.
By the time night fell the arena had most of the festival dancing together with big smiles all round. There was whole lot of enjoyment in one place – always a positive! I unfortunately had to leave early but it showed no signs of slowing down.
FloVibe provides a way to get the festival experience and come back feeling healthier than when you left, which in my experience is rare. With more and more people taking an interest in looking out for their wellness I imagine the audience for this is going to grow and I look forward to seeing the ways in which FloVibe expands to cater for this. There’s potential for something very special here.