The Rise of Wanderlust

There are hundreds of music festivals happening across the country and around the world that let you rock out with people who have a passion for the same type of vibes as yourself. Now the unique Wanderlust festival combines live music with yoga and farm-to-table food. “Festivals are all about community,” says Wanderlust co-founder Jeff Krasno. “They bring people together who tend to share similar values in an environment that’s all about music, dance and fun.”

The concept for Wanderlust was sparked when Krasno, co-founder of the record label and artist management company Velour Music Group, got inspired by the yoga community he saw flowing in and out of his wife Schuyler’s Manhattan studio. Hoping to encompass all the things the couple loves, Krasno set out to create a unique event that could combine live music with daily yoga classes, hiking, organic food and wine, and inspirational speakers such as Deepak Chopra, all set in the great outdoors.

“There’s a growing cultural movement toward more mindful living, and concepts such as ethical consumerism and fair-trade fashion that seemed progressive back in the ’70s are now mainstream,” says Krasno. “We wanted to provide a place for people who share these values to come together and commune.”

Now in its fourth year, Wanderlust festival’s popularity continues to spread, with more than 21,000 people attending its series of events in 2011. This year, the festival is returning to Squaw Valley, CA, and Stratton Mountain in Winhall, VT, as well as expanding domestically to Copper Mountain, CO, and internationally to Whistler, British Columbia. Festival organizers have even opened a permanent venue in Austin, TX, that offers live music with yoga and organic food year-round.

Check out photos from the Wanderlust Festival.