Envision Festival: Seven years of Cultural Exchange
by Dagmar Reinhard
From February 23rd to 26th, Uvita will be hosting the 7th year of Envision, the biggest event ever celebrated in Costa Ballena. It is based on eight pillars: Permaculture, Spirituality, Movement, Art, Music, Community, Health, and EcoBuilding.
In 2011, Envision Festival took place for the first time in Dominical, Costa Ballena, in Costa Rica’s South Pacific. It was created as an outdoors, transformation festival in a paradisaical place in the month of February, when the winter is really harsh in the Northern Hemisphere.
Over the next few years, this festival has been organized near the little town of Uvita, farther south of Dominical, where thousands of visitors from all over the world are welcome every year. It’s four days long, from Thursday to Sunday; the venue, after a big group of volunteers’ hard work, resembles a magical Wonderland.
There is a myriad of concerts, workshops, art exhibits, dancing, yoga, and activities for all tastes. It’s a celebration of spirit, and an opportunity to recharge and revitalize both body and mind; it’s inspired by positive collective conscience. Plus, this is not just about having fun; our workshops teach people about permaculture and environment-friendly designs.
The festival really cares about the environment and the community of Uvita. That is why there is a neighborhood council that works together with the Festival’s organizers. The purpose is to keep a two-way communication with the residents, so the mutual relationship works out in this space that we share. Discussing issues is part of the tasks; for example, the loud music, drug use, heavier traffic on the roads, visiting beaches, minors attending the festival and others.
However, there are more positive aspects, particularly promoting Costa Ballena as a tourist attraction; also,higher local income from a festival like Envision. Who wouldn’t enjoy visiting a magic world in the jungle near beaches on the Pacific Ocean?
INFO: Dagmar Reinhard – ballenatales@gmail.com
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