OUR MISSION
Our mission is simple:
to amplify health and wellness in our community and beyond by creating a world-class yoga festival rooted in the ancient cultural traditions of yoga and its related philosophies and practices.
OUR VALUES
Community Building
We believe healing happens in safe relationship to others.
We create spaces where people can arrive as they are and feel welcomed, seen, and supported. We value kindness, inclusion, and the simple power of gathering — not to perform, impress, or compete, but to connect, listen, and belong.
Environmental Stewardship
We honor the natural world as our first teacher.
We are guests on this land, and we treat it with care. From minimizing waste and choosing responsible partners to encouraging mindful use of resources, we aim to leave places better than we found them. Stewardship is not perfection — it’s attention, humility, and a willingness to do better over time.
Cultural Respect
We practice with reverence for yoga’s roots and living traditions.
We honor yoga as a lineage that comes from specific cultures, histories, and peoples. We strive to learn, acknowledge, and engage with these traditions respectfully — not as something to extract from, but as something to be in relationship with.
Inclusivity & Belonging
All bodies. All identities. All stages of practice.
We welcome people of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, body types, and backgrounds. You do not need to look a certain way, move a certain way, or believe a certain way to belong here. Whether this is your first time on a mat or your thousandth, you are part of this community.
We are committed to creating spaces that are accessible, respectful, and responsive — and we listen when we get it wrong.
Learning
We are curious and cultivate discernment.
We see the festival as a place of exploration — of the body, the mind, the heart, and the world. We welcome questions, new perspectives, and thoughtful dialogue. Growth matters more to us than certainty.
Joyfulness
We make room for delight.
Joy is not frivolous — it’s restorative, connective, and deeply human. We celebrate movement, laughter, beauty, play, and the small moments that remind us why we gather at all. We believe joy is a form of medicine.
MEET THE FOUNDER
Angela Liesching is the founder of Bend Yoga Festival and an educator, mother and writer living in Central Oregon.
She created the festival as a space for people to gather around yoga, learning, play and connection — with an emphasis on care for place, respect for tradition, and a welcoming spirit.