About JoyFest
Discover more insights about our Festival and why we are doing it!
About Joy Fest
Far North Joyfest is a family-friendly event that combines health and well-being with conscious living.
It takes place on stunning East coast of Far North of New Zealand.
The Subtropical North is blessed with an abundance of beauty, but also with an abundance of people offering ideas, teachings and services that can really help us all to Live Our Best Life.
This event is about gaining good health and clarity and inspiring those around us, especially children, to do the same. Towards that end, it is strictly alcohol and drug free.
Life can be a challenge; but the key to living our best life is in meeting that challenge, transforming that challenge and making that challenge a springboard into a future filled with more joy. This event provides people with a range of tools to do just that.
Help us celebrate all the amazing things happening right here in the Far North.
Come and learn from the experiences of others. Meet like-minded people. Try something new. Leave feeling lighter and brighter.
Right now, the world needs us all to take responsibility for ourselves. We are the creators of our own futures. We have a responsibility to be the best that we can be, to live the best life that we can so that it inspires others to live out their dreams, to change their life circumstances and create an empowered reality.
Find your balance, learn how to look after your health, mental and emotional wellbeeing
Many wisdom traditions and inspiring people, such as Gandhi have said ‘treat people as you would want to be treated.’
If we look after our own health and emotional and mental well-being – the most impactful way to treat ourselves well – then it becomes much easier to do this.
When we are balanced and coming from our true self then we naturally radiate positivity. We can see that difficulties are blessings in disguise and we can lead by example.
This festival will share examples of yoga, dance, music, art and song with the aim of helping us to better see the light that lives within us, to see what we are capable of and to help us grow physically, emotionally and mentally stronger.
Become more aware of what's possible and move to a more sustainable existence
If we want to create a more sustainable world as well as nurturing ourselves, we need to nurture new ways of producing, of building, of feeding ourselves and others. We need to build and strengthen communities.
This event offers the opportunity to learn from the wisdom of others and to gain an understanding of practices or methods which may have sparked our curiosity for a long time or which may even be completely foreign to us.
It will allow us to ask questions and to become more aware of what’s possible as we, as individuals, families and a broader community, move towards a more sustainable existence.
Festival Offerings differ each year!
Our event offers a totally new and unique programme every year. As much as possible we fill the yoga, eco, dance/main stage, children’s and wisdom tents with local facilitators who share all the amazing tools/skills/wisdom they have so that others may leave feeling inspired and elevated. There is always a healing area which offers a range of taster sessions. We always end with a selection of live music and a meditation to bring everything together at the end.
This festival will share examples of yoga, dance, music, art and song with the aim of helping us to better see the light that lives within us, to see what we are capable of and to help us grow physically, emotionally and mentally stronger.
Photo by White Locket Boutique Photography
The mission of the festival is to help people to Live their Best Life in all senses of the word.
What are the objectives of Joyfest?
- To increase the sense of joy of all participants.
- To put the Far North on the festival map, enhancing the profile of the region and increasing economic prosperity not just for those facilitating workshops, running stalls or sharing their wisdom but for all local businesses too.
- To be a festival that celebrates diversity whilst honouring the values of living in a conscious and respectful way.
- To cultivate understanding so we may celebrate the diversity of spiritual and cultural traditions that cohabit locally.
- To bring people together in the community in a holistic and wholesome way that promotes personal and environmental well-being.
Background and History
Far North Joyfest came about after a conversation between Tam Donovan and Hari Bans Angell Kaur over the Summer of 2019.
They both shared a vision of bringing more people to the Far North, of doing something positive for the area and of showcasing the wealth of local wisdom and expertise in the areas of yoga, dance and music.
When Tam moved out of the area very soon after the idea began to sprout into a more manifest concept, Hari Bans and other committee members dedicated time and energy to creating the first ever event in January 2020 at Butler Point, Hihi.
The Far North Joyfest Group was established as a not-for-profit organization comprised of individuals who shared a vision of creating a healthier and happier place for us all to live, work and be. Things changed in 2021 when they decided it was time to value the time and energy put into the project, to create more joy and ease it was decided that Hari Bans’ business would take over the organisation of the event.
This event is about gaining good health and clarity and inspiring those around us, especially children, to do the same. Towards that end, it is strictly alcohol and drug free.
Want to Get Involved?
If you feel inspired by what you’ve read get in touch and we can see what’s possible….there are many ways to Join the Joy!!
You can donate, offer to facilitate a workshop, become a sponsor, book a stall, or volunteer. We are always looking out for great new collaborations, so feel free to reach out to us.