click to enlarge Hillary Harvey
Matthew Pleva pauses from his work on a mural at the Riverport Wooden Boat School on the Rondout
Between musical sets by over 50 bands and seven new murals decorating the City of Kingston from Uptown to, now, the waterfront, it could be easy to forget that O+ is also about health and wellness. But with classes in various preventative practices, multiple bicycling events, and a wellness expo with healthcare and alternative health practitioners, the
O+ lineup will help you remember to take personal control of your health care while you enjoy the weekend.
Inside the event space of the 19th century historic landmark building, the Kirkland, at the corner of Clinton Avenue and Main Street in Uptown, there’s a mini-wellness retreat with over eighteen classes scheduled throughout the weekend. O+ wristband holders have unlimited access to classes in yoga, sacred napping, core, dance/movement, sound/voice baths, meditation, kirtan and Qigong. The Moolah Doula will even help to clear relationships with money. The teachers hail from studios all over the area, and donate their classes to the O+ community.
Cyclists of all stripes can enjoy O+ bounty. From challenging gravel rides and road rides to a family-friendly Mural to Mural ride around the streets of Kingston and the Greenline, there’s a cycling event for everyone. See the day-to-day schedule on the
Cycling at O+ Facebook event. Also, Bike-Friendly Kingston is teaming up with Mid-Hudson Health and Safety Institute at SUNY Ulster to offer bike safety and helmet checks at the Forsyth Nature Center Fall Festival on Sunday. And they’re working with The Kingston Land Trust on both Saturday and Sunday evenings to offer complimentary bike valet services at Peace Park while wristband holders enjoy the music and events each evening.
The festival’s signature Wellness EXPO+, sponsored by HealthAlliance and the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), features the best in healthcare and allied professional services from a variety of disciplines promoting whole-person wellness and well-being. There are fun aspects like dancing in the street, a CO+MMUNITY baby shower, and the ever-popular Teddy Bear Clinic where kids learn about hospital visits by administering care to “injured” teddy bears that they can keep. There are also opportunities to engage with hospitals, nonprofits and other wellness and human service organizations offering classes, support groups, healthy recipes and valuable information about services and new surgical specialties. It all takes place inside the Old Dutch Church at Wall Street and Main Street.
O+ Festival throughout Kingston: October 6th-October 8th; all access wristbands available for a donation. See the full weekend schedule, including music lineup, kids’ activities, art performances, foraging workshops, and more on their website and Facebook page.