MINNEAPOLIS — The first Twin Cities Kirtan Festival, an event of yogic chanting, will take place from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, at Lake Harriet Spiritual Community, 4401 Upton Ave. S. in the Linden Hills neighborhood of South Minneapolis.
Kirtan, or sanskrit chanting, has grown rapidly in popularity. It is a form of yoga, called Bhakti yoga, that is traditionally performed in a call-and-response or sing-along manner. Bhakti is the yoga of devotion and helps us connect or commune with spirit — whatever that spirit is to you. The mission of the festival is to unite the local kirtan scene, as well as bring the art of sacred music to the community at large.
The festival will include six to eight local bands, a collection of yoga and spirituality related artists and vendors, including clothing, jewelry and meditation items, as well as food. It will also feature a silent auction with proceeds from the auction going to benefit the radio show, “Raising the Consciousness,” which airs at 1 p.m. Sundays on AM 950. It will be an open house event where people will be free to come and go as they wish.
Guests will be invited to spend time both chanting in the sanctuary, as well as exploring the variety of items offered for sale down in the fellowship hall. The price of the event is a suggested donation of $8 per person; children under 12 are free. Food will be offered on a by-donation basis.
The event is produced by Sacred Rearrangements and Fair Trade OM, producers of “Raising the Consciousness,” as well as Pete Luellen and the Friends of Lord Krishna. For additional information on the Twin Cities Kirtan Festival, contact Susan Shehata at 612.710.7040 or email her at [email protected].
