Julia Wright, Director of Quest Festival, says: “For this 19th year of Quest, alongside the festival’s most exciting ever line up of music and dance, we’ll be hosting a fantastic range of 159 workshops from leading holistic experts, suitable for everyone from ardent spiritual explorers looking for deep transformation work and tentative natural health enthusiasts gently dabbling in self development
, to eco warriors eager to try their hand at green crafts and a variety of ecological activities.
“And we’re delighted to be collaborating with the founders of the award winning Sunrise Festival this year, bringing some spectacular embellishments to the Quest experience, including the new Spirit of Sunrise Camping Village, and Kid’s Quest - a pioneering Mind Body Spirit adventure playground where your little ones will be safely entertained all weekend and can share in the magical adventure that is Quest!”
Wellbeing programme highlights this year include a talk by BBC TV’s ‘Extreme Pilgrim’ Peter Owen Jones entitled ‘Pathlands: The Spirituality of Walking and Dreaming the New Future’, and a powerful Native American ‘Radical Forgiveness Ceremony’ facilitated by celebrated author and healer, Colin Tipping, designed to enable participants to forgiving themselves and others so as to clear past hurts. The programme also features leading consciousness pioneers like Barefoot Doctor with a ‘Transformative Coaching Intensive’ and creativity spark plug Jamie Catto of Faithless with a new One Giant Leap screening and a workshop - plus bestselling author Dr William Bloom, ‘Stand Up Philosopher’ Tim Freke, Daily Mail astrologer Jonathon Cainer, “Laughing Yogi” Joe Hoare, performance poet Paradox, Tim ‘Mac’ McCartney and ‘life- changing conversation expert’ Sarah Rozenthuler. Other workshop highlights include Secrets of Taoist Tantra, Sound Meditation, Conscious Cooking, Superfoods, Mindfulness, Herbal Medicine, Shamanism and Hypnosis. Don’t miss international storyteller Shonaleigh performing as well as hosting a workshop in the Red Tent sanctuary space on Friday. And for a truly far out experience – uncover your past and create your future on the phenomenal Whirly Gig gyroscope! Music highlights include international didgeridoo wizard, Sika; legendary South African multi-instrumentalist Pops Mohamed playing a rich mix of traditional instruments, from mouth bow to berimbau; Ravi, aka Justin Freeman, brings his stunning transglobal fusion of kora and guitar; and Adrian Freedman seamlessly blending Japanese meditation and Zen flute music with the ritual sacred rhythms of Brazil’s rainforest. Magnificent nine-piece orchestra Ombiviolum are set to cause a stir with their ingenious blend of Zimbabwean Mbira music and African percussion with Celtic folk melodies and Western Classical instruments. Double-Grammy nominated Jamie Catto features again, now with a set of soulful ballads, and be sure not to miss 47SOUL cooking up the energy of a Palestinian wedding with their potent mix of reggae, hip-hop and Arabic styles in true celebration of global roots culture. Dance highlights include Earth Dance with African dance megastar Denise Rowe, Sufi whirling with renowned Armenian dervish Zarley, while a diversity of global dance workshops and performances take in belly dance, burlesque, yoga dance, Earth Beats, Biodanza, Contact Improvisation and 5 Rhythms. And don’t miss Barefoot Doctor’s ‘Get Healed while You Party’ – a stomping Conscious Clubbing session complete with a live hypnotic, dance-floor narrative which the maestro promises will “liberate you for the next level of self-blooming”. For a healthy dose of retail therapy, head inside and explore a colourful diversity of 120 exhibitor stands offering a selection of life enhancing products and services to relax, calm, heal and uplift, while Taster sessions offer the chance to sample various weird and wonderful holistic therapies and practices. Back outside, The Kids Quest playground will be packed full of family adventure, where 96 children’s activities include drumming, hula hooping, circus skills, theatre, musical improvisation, painting, storytelling, spoon carving and an epic treasure hunt, while a free-range play area includes climbing frames, vintage fairground rides and a soft play zone for toddlers. Here, a playful programme of games and back to nature fun has been designed to ignite creativity, stimulate and expand young minds and inspire wellbeing and positive vibes. Out in the fields, the Spirit of Sunrise Camping Village offers a 24 hour community powwow experience complete with cosy family vibes, chai gatherings around the fire, ambient music, atmospheric art installations, morning yoga, sauna, hot-tubs and lots more. At its hub, the convivial Eartheart tipi cafe space plays host to soothing musical performances, inspiring fireside talks with Tim ‘Mac’ McCartney and Jamie Catto, and night time star gazing lectures with astrologer Jonathan Cainer. Summarising her vision for Quest, Julia Wright says: “As Einstein said, the most important question a person can ask is, ‘Is the universe a friendly place?’ Quest is my attempt to answer that question - yes, it is! With every action we create the world we live in, and Quest is a celebration of our human capacity for kindness and compassion, because that’s what really counts.”
