There’s a Festival Coming to New Bedford That’s Encouraging Napping, Stretching and Resting

You've heard of EDM and Country festivals, but have you ever been to a festival where they encourage you to take a nap? It's a real thing and it's right here in New Bedford.

Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you one of the greatest concepts for a festival I've ever heard of. It's called Restival 2023 and it's a free festival specifically dedicated to teaching people how to practice rest and do so freely. With the fast pace of society and the busy environment we surround ourselves with, something like this could be beneficial.

Restival is taking place on Sunday, August 27th from 3:00 - 6:00 PM at Haskell Public Gardens (787 Shawmut Ave) in New Bedford thanks to the Trustees of Massachusetts. This unique festival will be offering several "Deactivities," providing materials and refreshments for everyone who goes.

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Some of the programs that will help you relax include restorative yoga, reiki, meditation or sound healing, painting, napping, reading, and walks in the garden. Sounds like the entire world could benefit from these low-key activities.

The goal is to affirm people's right to rest and learn the science of rest by listening to speakers share anecdotes about how and why it is important to rest. The older I get, the more I understand this far too well. Go ahead and take an hour or two out of your day to reset the battery and focus on what's important- "you".

Again, this is a free event so you have nothing to lose. Restival 2023 is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts' Collective Imagination for Spacial Justice Grant and funded by the Barr Foundation.