The Future of the Bend Yoga Festival — 2027 and Beyond
We just finished our 4th festival and are beginning to plan a celebration of our 5th anniversary for June 10-13, 2027. We’re committed to 2027, but it’s also true that when I started this gathering in 2022, at the tail end of the COVID restrictions on gathering, I hadn’t considered what plans I had, if any, for it to continue long-term. But lately I’ve been thinking about it a great deal.
Reflecting on the Sustainability of Independent Yoga Festivals
Last year I met with a nonprofit attorney to explore transitioning the structure from an LLC to a 501(c)3. This change would both better align with our mission and values, and also open up an additional source of funding—grants. Per our attorney, we definitely qualify under IRS rules; we’d be an educational nonprofit, or an arts & culture nonprofit, or both. But I haven’t been certain that’s the right path either.
Paddle session at the first BYF, 2022.
I also explored the idea of putting the festival on a biennial schedule rather than annual, which would be a more sustainable pace for me as the producer. But I found that I really want to celebrate our fifth anniversary in 2027, which puts us back on an annual schedule.
It’s no secret that independent yoga festivals can have a hard time of it. Not having a corporate partner to absorb venue and other costs puts sustainability front and center, for sure. I was startled by the news last month that the Love Shine Play Festival in Asheville, NC, may be closing operations after this year. My hope is that they don’t — their offerings are a beautiful example of what independent yoga festivals like mine can accomplish. Everything they do, from presenters to production values to social media presence, is all so on-point. It’s hard for me to reconcile their considerable operational capacity with the possibility of their closing.
If they don’t see a path to continue into their 10th year, how can we continue past our fifth?
A scene from BYF 2023.
What lies Ahead for Bend Yoga Festival 2027
Festivals that last become institutions. BYF is not an event seeking to get larger; it’s a PNW institution in formation.
Building our operational capacity includes adding new venues. For 2027 we have three new venues (mostly outdoors) that are ready to go live, all of which will complement the lovely venues we enjoyed this year, The Oxford Hotel, Pine & Prism Wellness Collective and Drake Park.
Our team for 2027 and beyond is growing, so less of the day-to-day execution is done by one person, and more will be done by a highly skilled, engaged and capable group of volunteers who will work behind the scenes throughout this year building up to the fest in June 2027.
Like our operational team, our team of committed partners is growing as well. This includes The Oxford Hotel, who’ve expressed a willingness to walk alongside the festival as we market together throughout the year. Bend Park & Recreation, always a treasured partner, is willing to continue allowing us use of Drake Park, another honor. Green spaces will likely become more and more rare in the future, and at Drake we can have nothing between our sensory experience of nature and our experience of practice. For us, that’s perfection.
To honor the healing work yoga community leaders do every day to keep yoga accessible, we’re offering a revenue share program to studio owners and community leaders — if you have a community that might be interested in attending, and are willing to share news of the festival with them, we’ll share back to you a portion of the revenue from each pass sold to your community members. There are also other benefits: deeply discounted rates at the Oxford, option for a designated meet-up space at the fest for your group, shout-outs on our socials and website. If you’re interested, reach out for details to angela@bendyogafestival.com. We think this is a win-win for all.
For 2027 it’s our intention to bring back a few past presenters to honor their contributions, alongside more recent presenters. We’ll officially kick-off on Thursday, June 10 with yoga at 1pm with a headliner, but there will be add-on sessions in the morning. This is so that those of you who don’t want to miss work on Wednesday can have travel time on Thursday morning – you’d miss the add-on options, but be ready to kick off at 1pm. You’d also save a night’s lodging. On Thursday evening, I’m intending an “Alumni Gathering” – a chance for past passholders to reconnect and enjoy each other’s company. Intention as of now for Friday and Saturday: an early morning ritual, mid-morning asana, and afternoon renewal practices, with musical or other events at night. Lori will be back with paddle sessions in the afternoon; likely another chance to stargaze with Wanderlust Tours and perhaps other adventures with them as well, and more sauna with Gather Sauna House. Sunday will have sessions for closing and integration, and wrap up at noon. That’s how I envision it now, but as always things may evolve as new ideas and offerings come into view.
Our organizational focus on the attendees’ experience will stay the same. Even with venue expansions, our operational capacity is at 300 paid passholders, maximum. Beyond that, I think the experience may begin to feel less intentional and personal. And that’s the part we want most to keep.
Building a Lasting Pacific Northwest Yoga Institution
If engaged and capable partners continue to emerge to walk alongside us, BYF will continue on and become the PNW institution it can be — and outlast any single person’s involvement, including mine. If not, we’ll honor what’s been and allow it to close. Either way, along the path there will continue to be beautiful moments to mine like lines of ore for all that’s good and sustaining in this human life.
With love,
OM,
Angela
Outdoor practice at Riverbend Park, 2024 BYF.
The 5th Anniversary Celebration of the Bend Yoga Festival is June 10-13, 2027, with walkable yoga venues throughout downtown Bend. The pricing structure for 2027 is published on our festival pass page so that if you feel called to join, you can plan ahead — secure your pass early to ensure priority scheduling.