The Yoga Picnic, the one-day yoga and wellbeing festival experience officially launches its programme line-up for 2024 today, featuring the cream of international and Irish yoga teachers alongside the most sought after holistic practitioners.
Taking place on July 7th at the picturesque Lilliput House, on the banks of Lough Ennell, Co. Westmeath, The Yoga Picnic will delight yoga and wellbeing enthusiasts with a day of movement, therapies, discussion, and music in a beautiful outdoor setting.
Devised by three friends, entrepreneurs, and dedicated yoga teachers – Alice Harrison, Mary Gardiner, and Katy Harrison – The Yoga Picnic embodies the essence of yoga, promoting community, connection, and sustainability, and offering an authentic and Earthwise experience for all participants.
Now in its third year, the festival has gone from strength to strength, expanding capacity to cater for demand from keen yoga fans, and revealing a host of new programme attractions for 2024.
From left: Alice Harrison, Mary Gardiner, and Katy Harrison, The Yoga Picnic Co-Founders
Photo: Barry Cronin
New for 2024
- Beautiful Cacao Ceremony with increased capacity for more people to enjoy,
- Dedicated outdoor spa area featuring two woodfired sauna, five ice baths and one woodfired outdoor hot tub, with a European Sauna Master delivering salt healing sessions and whisking sessions in the sauna,
- Food demonstrations and talks with Katie Sanderson and Austrian Celebrity Chef Silvia Schneider,
- Three international headline teachers – Adam Husler, TV star Caggie Dunlop, and Celest Pereira,
- EV powered yoga tents – headline festival sponsor Kia will provide V2D (vehicle to device) power for all tents on site,
- An array of food vendors and Irish artisan businesses in the Artisan Market,
- Kia Sustainable Marketplace offering an array of eco-conscious goods for purchase including Kilbeggan Oats and Cookies and Holder 8 yoga mats, with more to be announced,
- Be Kind Chill Zone.
Headliners
Among the headliners for this year’s festival are internationally renowned teachers such as Adam Husler, a London-based yoga luminary, Benita Wolfe, esteemed yoga teacher trainer from the US, and Silvia Schneider, celebrated Austrian TV personality, chef, and entrepreneur. Joining them is Caggie Dunlop, astrology teacher, author, and television star, Celest Pereira, who will lead a fun and playful yoga class with Afro beats. The Yoga Picnic headliners include the absolute best of Irish yoga teachers including women’s headliner Lou Horgan, mantra headliner Eithne Kennedy, MCA headliner Kitty Maguire, ritual headliner Mari Kennedy, along with spoken word headliner, Laura Murphy, music headliner Jack Harrison, and meditation headliner, Sinéad Mooney. Mandalei Kuhn will lead a beautiful cacao ceremony, Michael Ryan a men’s circle and Terri Conroy will bring attendees on a shamanic journey with drumming and plants.
The line-up includes a significant presence of yoga teachers with tailored sessions catering specifically to educators, making it an essential destination for both seasoned practitioners and aspiring yoga fans alike.
Diverse programme
With over 15 areas and over 100 class offerings attendees can expect to immerse themselves in a day filled with yoga, meditation, yoga nidra, ecstatic dance, mantra, music, drumming, sound healing, poetry, and more in The Yoga Picnic’s biggest year yet. Standout activities on the waters of Lough Ennell include stand-up paddleboard (SUP), yoga, and rejuvenating sauna sessions and ice baths, offering a diverse range of classes and activities to nourish the mind, body, and soul.
Food & Nutrition
This year, The Yoga Picnic introduces an all-new food offering including nutritional food demos and talks, in addition to a wide array of delicious organic, nourishing food options to sustain attendees throughout the day, enhancing the overall festival experience. Talks and demos will be delivered by culinary legend Katie Sanderson, Celebrity Chef Silvia Schneider, and natural chef Nikki Halliday.
Sustainability
The Yoga Picnic’s partnership with Kia Ireland will introduce a groundbreaking sustainability initiative as the first festival to power its tents with Kia EV’s, demonstrating its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting eco-friendly practices within the festival community. The Yoga Picnic is reducing its carbon footprint by funding native Irish trees planted by Hometree Charity.
Mary Gardiner, Co-Founder of The Yoga Picnic, says:
“This year’s festival is set to be our biggest yet, and we’re excited to offer a holistic experience to yogis, wellbeing enthusiasts, and families alike. Our vision for The Yoga Picnic is to provide a vibrant community and offer opportunities for like-minded people to connect over a shared passion for yogic philosophies, positive wellbeing, and sustainability, and create an accessible experience for people at any stage in their yoga journey. “
The Yoga Picnic has just graduated from the ACORNS 9 Roundtable course for Women in Business. The ACORNS programme has been designed to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.
Sponsors of The Yoga Picnic include Kia Ireland, Solaris Tea, Holdereight, Kilbeggan Organic Foods, Be Kind.
Tickets for The Yoga Picnic Festival are on sale now from €85, and with previous years selling out weeks in advance, participants are encouraged to book early.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the festival website at www.theyogapicnic.com