High Vibes And Happiness All Around As BaliSpirit Festival Gets Off To A Magical Start

Share The Article

BaliSpirit Festival is off to a flying start, spirits are high and smiles are abounding.

The most magical and transformative festival in Bali is happening at The Yoga Barn from 4th-7th May, and as day two draws to a close, the festival is in full flow!

The 14th BaliSpirit Festival was formally opened with a gala party on Thursday, 3rd May.

The official opening ceremony was opened by esteemed guests, including Dra. Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani M.Sc. CHE, the permanent secretary of Indonesia’s Ministry for Tourism and Creative Economies, and the Deputy Governor of Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, also known more fondly as Cok Ace. 

The gala party and opening event set the tone perfectly. A warm, heartfelt, and candid speech from festival co-founder and co-founder of The Yoga Barn, I Made Gunarta, known as Pak Kadek, reminded all those in attendance of the importance of community events.

He shared how the festival survived the impact of the pandemic with the support of the festival’s loyal following, the conscious community in Bali, and the unwavering support of the Ministry for Tourism and Creative Economies.

Pak Made continued to share his thanks for all those who support the festival, noting that life is about more than money; that money helped businesses and communities survive through the pandemic, but ongoing and personal support is what will make Bali, tourism, live events, and communities thrive once again.

He highlighted the positive impacts the festival has on the local community and economy. The majority of the temporary festival structures, like the stages and stall booths, are made from locally sourced bamboo. The whole site is constructed by a team of local contractors who are employed for the duration of the build-up and breakdown of the event.

Both Pak Made and Deputy Governor Cok Ace joked to festival-goers that “If you find something good about the festival, don’t tell us; tell everyone else. If you find something wrong with the festival, our door is always open for a discussion.”

There will be nothing but positive feedback flowing from the festival, no doubt about it!

Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans For 2023 Starting At $10 Per Week

Easily Earn Points For Free Travel

After the ceremonial banging of the gong to mark the festival officially in flow, guests were gifted with a series of traditional Balinese storytelling dances from some of the most highly regarded cultural performers on the island.

BaliSpirit Festival is committed to being a platform to showcase and celebrate local Balinese and Indonesian artists, musicians and performers at every opportunity. Performances from local creative talent can be found throughout the festival schedule and were especially prominent in the opening and in the evening headline shows.

With formalities over on Wednesday night, DJ Levi Banner (a regular teacher at The Yoga Barn) brought the revelry of the festival to life with a live set of organic house and delectable down-tempo beats. 

BaliSpirit Festival opened its doors early on Thursday morning for the first full day of the festival to begin. Yoga workshops, dharma talks, and music schedules are jam-packed from early morning until late at night for all four days of the festival. 

View this post on Instagram

Shared post on Time

At the Grove Stage, dozens of early risers congregated for the first community morning yoga and movement session, followed by traditional Balinese music on the main stage.

The local gamelan (traditional Balinese orchestra) could be heard striking up the procession at various times throughout day one of the festival, a wonderful audible reminder of the festival’s cultural heartland. 

The festival is an open-hearted cultural exchange; the day one workshop included Budaya Bali, an introduction to the Balinese Culture with Purnama.

The session proved to be one of the most in-demand classes of the day. Festival-goers from outside of Bali were taught about the culture and traditions of Bali; workshop attendees were also taught a few Balinese words such as Om Swastastu, which means Hello, and matur suksuma, which means thank you.

View this post on Instagram

Shared post on Time

Over the course of the weekend, the Grove Stage, the festival’s main stage, will welcome the likes of the enthralling Hanuman Project, an interactive traditional Kecak dance with Çudamani and Sunday, the sweet and soulful melodies of Abink. 

The likes of Jungle Kitchen, Minstral, and Alex Serra will be soundtracking the party long into the night on Saturday and Sunday, bringing together festival attendees from more than thirty countries. 

For those in the mood for a more mellow vibe, BaliSpirit Festival ticket holders can take a pew at the Dragon Tea Temple, sponsored by Ubud’s famous Zest restaurant.

The grounded, soulful ambiance at Dragon Tea Temple is curated with the intention of creating a space for introspection and relaxation during the festival. Weekend highlights at the Dragon Tea Temple include Luana, Matangi, and Karunika. 

BaliSpirit Festival is a four-day celebration of yoga, dance, music, and healing. Yoga workshops are being held in The Yoga Barn’s studios for almost every minute of the four-day festival.

Sessions will be hosted by world-renowned teachers such as Chokolako, Tina Nance, Chris Fox, Carlos Romero, and many, many more. 

View this post on Instagram

Shared post on Time

Day passes for the BaliSpirit Festival are still available for purchase online. The festival is hosted at the heart of Ubud at The Yoga Barn.

Entrance to the festival is through the Puri Padi Hotel, next to The Yoga Barn. For more information about the festival, visit www.balispiritfestival.com or visit the festival’s Instagram page @balispiritfest. 

The Bali Sun is a proud media sponsor of the BaliSpirit Festival.