We have a special treat for you today.

This is an incredible festival that's only been around for a couple of years.

And we're here at Potawatomi Park in South Bend.

And I have with us Jamila, you are the founder of this event, the Mind Body Spirit Festival.

What a fantastic thing that you guys have offered?

Oh my goodness, we are so excited.

It's been really amazing the reception that the community has brought with this type of event.

It is the first of its kind within our community.

Absolutely.

And so excited that so many people are just wanting to show it for themselves, for wellness, to be able to just elevate themselves in a way that maybe they have not experienced before.

You know, we are all just going through so much stress and we're just being bamboozaled all day long, and to have a place that we can come and sit and be and just be with like minded people, I love that.

Yeah.

And be able to really collaborate.

And this is really a co-creative process.

We ask our the people that come, what would you like to offer?

And it's just been really amazing, the ideas and the things that people want to bring.

And we're still putting it all together.

Okay, that's yet to come.

So when is the event happening?

The event is May 4th from 11 until 5 p.m. now that's may the forth be with you.

May the 4th be with you.

Oh my goodness, yes I am.

I am truly looking for some Star Wars people to show think and be able to do some sort of flash mob.

Have not found them yet, however very much looking for them.

So I want to ask you a couple of things.

One of them is just, you know what?

All is going to be out here at the festival grounds, but more importantly, who should be coming to this festival?

This festival is for everyone.

It is an all ages event.

We'll have some face painting and we're going to have some games.

We're going to have a music circle with a maypole in between.

I love that if you've never seen a maypole before.

Yes.

I mean it's it's just incredible.

It really is.

It's going to be a lot of fun.

It's that halfway point between spring and summer.

And so it's definitely a time to be able to celebrate, which is why we chose this weekend.

And it's also World Labyrinth Day.

So we're going to have a labyrinth, a walk in labyrinth, which is really amazing to be able to walk.

So it's going to be, right up here on the hill.

Okay.

And we're going to have some music that will go with it.

And we are just going to be able to tap into that global energy of being one at one.

So it's something that happens around the world.

So that happening at 1:00, it is happening at 1:00 to know.

Yes, that will definitely be happening at 1:00.

And then we're also going to have music on the main stage.

We have a variety of musicians, something that's going to appeal for everyone, which is going to be really lovely as well.

We're going to have artisans.

And one of the things that, the is the requirement of the festival is that everything that you bring is handmade.

So, so we want true artisans to be here, and that's who is showing up in the past.

And you guys have continued to grow year after year.

How many are you expecting as far as vendors this year?

So that has not closed yet.

A lot of people do things last minute, but I will say that the last two years, the very first year we had 75 vendors, last year we had over 100 vendors.

That's amazing for a two years, by the way.

Really a feel is I'm so excited about that.

And so we have yet to say we have yet to see.

So lots of opportunity to visit with people that are like minded, with the mind, body and spirit.

Why are those three such a main focus?

What do we get from that?

That is such a lovely question.

I feel you coming through with this.

Yes.

I'm telling you, it is the thing that's most important for us in our livelihood to live a balanced, well-rounded lifestyle where we can be our most authentic self.

And whatever you choose to believe we are, we are open to everyone.

Whatever your choices, it's your choice.

And to be able to show up in a way that's unique and meaningful to you.

You know, it's really those pieces of ourselves that come together to be able to show up.

And when we can do that, we can be the best version of ourselves.

And by being the best version of ourselves, we help elevate their community.

Absolutely.

And that's a big part of this is the community, too.

And you are going to have some speakers out here as well.

We are.

We are again, those are two of you to determine, okay.

So we're still locking those in.

I will say that Professor Lad, who is from Indiana University, is going to be speaking about the labyrinth at noon.

Okay.

So I can.

Yep.

I can say that, yeah.

So he will be a speaker.

We will also have some speakers around wellness and being able to get into your body.

we were going to have some events, like a lot of people don't really know how to do things.

Exactly where to start, even, right?

It's so important because what we consume is really what makes up our body physically.

And so it's so important to have an understanding of what wellness and getting into our body is.

Now you're the founder of Conscious Michiana, which is putting this on.

Tell us a little bit about what Conscious Michiana is all about.

We are your we are your resource for all things mind, body, spirit related in the community, which includes arts, holistic living, sustainability, connecting to nature, community.

All of those things are what we are about.

And so we are here to promote and be a resource within the body.

So our we originally started as a directory website and we still are.

That however has grown and evolved along the way since the beginning.

And so we started as a resource to the community.

So if you are a practitioner, you don't have your website up, or even if you do, you can have your bio listed, you can have your hours of operation listed.

You can have all of your information about you.

So people can say, who does massage?

Who does my list, who does acupuncture, who does acupressure, who is in the area that does these things?

I love it, and I always have people asking me those kinds of questions too.

So now I know this is a great resource.

It really is.

It really is.

So whether you're a practitioner or if you're a brick and mortar, so locations such as if you're a retreat center like Sacred Waters or if you're a yoga studio like Beyond Zen up here in Granger or Awakening Realm over in Elkhart, or the Union down in Plymouth.

So those brick and mortar locations get to have a presence as well.

So who do you go?

What places can you go to that does the things?

And then there's the events so they can post the events there too.

So if you're looking for various events that are holistic, mind, body, spirit related in the community within the Michiana region that large.

Yeah, we kind up you know, we it's like a 45 mile radius.

Michiana is like kind of hard to explain as a region.

I know we're experiencing Michiana We are Experience Michiana.

So you know, this whole entire region.

So it really brings in all of these things that help people understand.

If you're going through some stuff, let's say that you've just gone through some pulling up some old trauma things and you're just wanting to find other choices for yourself.

Yeah, you can say, oh, what day of the week is it?

Oh, I've got Wednesday free.

What's going on in the community that I can find.

And you may be able to find some qigong.

You might be able to find some, shorten you might be able to find some ecstatic dance.

You may be able to find some lots of different things that are happening within the community.

So you can say, I don't necessarily want to go out, you know, sit down at that bar all day, right?

It gives you healthy alternative.

Nothing wrong with go and having a cocktail.

Every once and awhile, you know what I'm saying?

But if you're wanting something different, if you're wanting to make that shift, I love that we different choices.

I love that we have something like this in our community.

It's so fantastic.

People can come out to the event itself.

A lot of those people that you're talking about are going to be here.

Community, like minded people.

How can we get more information?

What's the best way to get.

Yep.

So on our website Conscious michiana.com we will have the festival page.

So it's right there.

Is it free?

Yes, it is a free event.

Love free event.

Yes, as a free event.

So make sure that you get your that you click for your it's a free event and you can get your ticket online okay.

And the purpose of getting the ticket is so that you can be entered to win.

We're going to have drawings all day.

So the drawings are, you know, vendors are contributing to the things that are going to be in the drawings hourly.

So there's going to be lots of good stuff that's going to be up there.

And fantastic.

All right.

Well we will see you on May the 4th.

Yeah.

Here at the mind Body Spirit Festival happening right in Potawatomi Park.

We'll see you then.

Take care y'all.