Determining what’s healthy for us mentally and physically is a tricky task, but South by Southwest’s new Wellness Expo is here to give you some clarity.
The Wellness Expo is a free event that will be held March 10– 11, and it will showcase a variety of yogis, health companies, and more. SXSW’s Senior Exhibitions Manager Brittani Mathis said SXSW transforms along with society, and the Wellness Expo is a response to the public’s growing attention to health.
“We’ve seen large numbers of Austinites attend similar events throughout the year,” Mathis said. “So we anticipate the Wellness Expo will be a very welcomed addition.”
The expo will not simply focus on exercise and clean-eating, but also personal wellness. Mathis also said that the advisory board for the Wellness Expo has worked closely with experts in the community to ensure that there is a variety of programs and leading brands in the industry.
“Our staff worked with an advisory board of leaders in the wellness community to help shape the event for its first year,” Mathis said. “They helped us extend our reach to their communities.”
The Wellness Expo intends to pull in a wide range of attendees, aiming not only to attract those who are physically active, but also anyone who may want to improve their mental and physical health.
“We intentionally designed and curated this Expo to make sure that any attendee could get a full picture of wellness,” Mathis said. “Mind, body, and soul, and that the wide range of exhibitors and programming would resonate with an equally wide range of attendees.”
The Wellness Expo will have everything from spiritual exploration to mental and physical fitness. One of the key events of the Expo is Adriene Mishler’s Find What Feels Good Yoga Session on Saturday, March 10, at 1:30 pm.
Mishler is an Austinite herself and has grown in popularity with her sessions called: Yoga with Adriene. She holds classes online that have grown in popularity, such as her 30-Day Yoga challenge on YouTube. Mishler attempts to make yoga approachable for any person, and focuses on her students feeling comfortable at all time.
Another big attraction for the Wellness Expo is Milk + Honey’s lounge. Milk + Honey is a company from Austin that focuses on spa and salon treatments in an unique way by using organic treatments, and concentrating on, not only relaxation, but also healing. During the expo, Milk + Honey will be holding a lounge that will feature their skin care line and aura photos, which are from Mood by Moss.
The aura photos are shot by Carrie Moss, an Austin photographer, who shoots pictures of people using an aura camera. Auras are a person’s natural energy and the colors of an aura can represent a person’s personality and emotions.
Another major event to watch out for in the Wellness Expo is a talk by UT alumnae Jeremy Hills and Vince Young who both played on the UT football team, with Young being a past quarterback and Hills being a retired running back. The duo will be holding a discussion on Saturday, March 10th at 4pm, that will tackle creating a culture of wellness on and off the field, specifically addressing how athletes can use their influence to promote health in communities.
The Wellness Expo will have many other workshops, demos, and vendors to give attendees an experience they won’t forget, while ensuring they learn about how to improve their well-being.
“Our mission is showcase all that holistic living has to offer,” Mathis said. “From mental and physical fitness, to alternative healing, clean eating, and spiritual exploration.”
