The 3rd Annual IMAGINE FEST- A Day of Yoga and Music to Benefit Unlikely Heroes

A Day of Peace, Love and Hope at Imagine Fest. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com

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By: @demigoddesspictures

April 28, 2018

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Natalie Backman Spirova

Malibu, CA- Do you believe in making the world a better place through yoga, meditation, multigenerational collaboration and teamwork? Yoga teacher Natalie Backman Spirova does! And she is doing just that with her successful manifestation of Imagine Fest– a bohemian-inspired Yoga & Live Sacred Music Festival that gives all of its proceeds to the non-profit Unlikely Heroes, a Los Angeles-based charity that rescues and rehabilitates child victims of sex trafficking domestically and abroad.

The third annual free-spirited outdoor music and yoga event took place last weekend on the beautiful rustic grounds of Peter Strauss Ranch in Malibu. A community-based core of 100+ volunteers that included students, professionals, yogis, artists, musicians and kids all came together to spend a day in nature and share the message of peace, love and compassion for all living creatures.

Live Music at Imagine Fest. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Live Music at Imagine Fest. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com

The idea for Imagine Fest was born when founder Spirova read a small article about Unlikely Heroes in LA Yoga Magazine in 2014. She tore out the page and contacted UH founder Erica Greve, resolving to do something to bring hope, love and light to those in need. Thus, Imagine Fest was born.

Young volunteers spreading the message of HOPE. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Young volunteers spreading the message of HOPE. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com

Using her experience in event planning, Spirova produced the first Imagine Fest in September 2015 with a powerhouse team of volunteers, attracting more than 2,000 attendees.

Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Sacred tents were set up for meditating and yoga. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com

Spirova was inspired to name Imagine Fest after the John Lennon song Imagine. “I choose to believe this ‘imagined’ world is a possibility,” she says. “I choose to believe that each of us has the power to affect positive change in our own lives, our community and in the lives of other human beings all over the world. I choose to believe that it can be as simple as stepping out of our daily concerns to focus our attention on the role we all must play in transitioning from what we currently are, to what we can become.”

Plenty of food trucks and drink stations for attendees. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Plenty of food trucks and drink stations for attendees. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
A Sacred day in nature. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
A Sacred day in nature. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com

Now in its third year, Imagine Fest offered a strong lineup of yoga taught by top SoCal instructors including Sesa O’Conner, Mary Bruce, Julie Kundert, Daniel Stewart and Sri Hari Moss; meditation was led by Tracee Stanley and John Vosler, and inspirational speakers Erica Greve, SriMati and De Jur.

Prayer Mala bead and Yoga Instructor Alexa. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Prayer Mala bead and Yoga Instructor Alexa. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com

The heart of the festival came from live music performances by Shawni and conscious music collective Satsang as well as kirtan with Daniel Stewart and Govind Das & Radha. In the gypsy camp-inspired Vendor Village, local artisans sold clothing, hand-crafted jewelry, skin care, unique gifts and collectibles. Additional experiences included children’s programming with the Peace Guardians, sound healing, reiki, kirtan, acro yoga and healthy delectable cuisine from local food trucks.

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Entrance to the Vendor Village. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Wicked Lekker Rooibos Tea Founders Mylan Janoplis & Pamela Stahl. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Wicked Lekker Rooibos Tea Founders Mylan Janoplis & Pamela Stahl. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
H2 Life reps. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
H2 Life reps. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
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Holistic healing tents. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Masters in Social Work: Vasanti Dasi & Ambika Dasi. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Masters in Social Work: Vasanti Dasi & Ambika Dasi. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Outdoor sacred music. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Outdoor sacred music. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Flower making. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com

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Imagine Fest is ideal for conscious community members of all ages in the greater Los Angeles area. Bring the whole tribe! Including friendly dogs!

Sharing a tender moment...Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Sharing a tender moment…Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com

Unlikely Heroes is a local non-profit organization committed to rescuing and rehabilitating child victims of sex-trafficking in countries such as Nigeria, Thailand, the Philippines, Mexico and the United States.

Unlikely Heroes. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com
Unlikely Heroes. Photo credit: DemiGoddessChronicle.com

For more info about UNLIKELY HEROES, click HERE 

Imagine Fest Tickets (Small)

To Attend or Volunteer at the next Imagine Fest, Click HERE

 

About christy oldham 132 Articles
Christy was educated in Paris at École des hautes études commerciales de Paris (HEC Paris), an international business school in France and studied film and television at LACC (Los Angeles Community College). She is a business owner, published author and a critically acclaimed independent filmmaker. Her 20 year body of cinema work to date includes 2 feature films, 15 short films and one web series. She is a writer, producer, director, cinematographer, actress and editor. Her headlining film credit includes the vigilante feature film "Barracuda" (Released in 2014 by Maverick Entertainment Group) which earned her critical filmmaker acclaim including 3 Best Picture awards at multiple U.S. film festivals. In 2017, she directed 3 episodes of the post-apocalyptic web series "Vape Warz", which she also wrote and produced. It premiered at the 2017 Mediterranean Film festival Cannes in the south of France and received an Honorable Mention for Best Web Series and is now streaming on Amazon. In 2019, she released her first foreign short film "Perdu à France" ("Lost In Provence")- also streaming on Amazon. She lives in Los Angeles.

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