The third annual Nourish Wellness Series is headed to Whistler on May 31 and will continue until June 29. More than 60 events are on deck, twice as many as last year: fine dining, workshops, speaking sessions by renowned wellness professionals, etc. They will be held at numerous venues across town, including a novel geometric dome at the Roundhouse Lodge.
Maybe you've never heard of Nourish Wellness. If so, Tourism Whistler events manager Bree Eagles wants you to know about it.
"From our perspective, we really wanted to explore wellness in quite a holistic way," she explains. "We've got everything from physical wellness via movement and food to mental wellness through mindfulness and inspiring talks, and we touch on some spiritual wellness as well via some creativity and art workshops. What we were trying to do was create a schedule that allows people to hone in on their particular areas of interest. Spring is a beautiful time of renewal and rejuvenation.
"Tourism Whistler's vision is to see this series continue to grow into the future. We work with Watermark Communications to produce the programming … they brought a lot of passion and new ideas to the table this year. We've got some great partnerships: Whistler Blackcomb have really gotten behind the initiative, the [Audain Art Museum and Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre are involved], and a ton of local studios, chefs and facilitators have all come together. We've really made it a resort-wide collaboration."
Anchoring the diverse lineup is an event called "The Art of Wellness" taking place on the summer solstice at the Audain. For $5, guests can check out a market atmosphere on June 20 with artisan goods, wellness brands and Museum exhibits like the recently-opened Gathered Leaves gallery and The Coastal Mountains: Recent Works by Edward Burtynsky.
Later that evening, a ticketed long table dinner will be held for 100 guests at the Audain's north terrace. The four-course menu offers sustainable food, with a garden, live music by Stephanie Lundy and a director's tour of the Burtynsky exhibition contributing to the experience.
June 21 will involve another full-day market and guided movement sessions like yoga with Laura Davies, tai chi with Master Sun Ying, and a family dance party presented by ALGN Whistler.
'Something for everyone'
Among the many wellness experts involved with Nourish, few are as known as Seane Corn: a yoga teacher, public speaker and author of international renown. She will lead five unique sessions revolving around spiritual alignment, physical movement and in one case: a healthy approach to menopause.
Molly Kawahata, a former climate advisor to Barack Obama's White House, is dropping by for a seminar titled "The Power of Hope." She believes in hope as an evidence-based tool and mindset—not just a feeling or abstract idea. Kawahata's life story, from ice climbing to speaking about climate change, will also be shown at a screening of the 2022 Patagonia film The Scale of Hope.
Neuroscience professional Catherine Roscoe Barr will run a workshop that blends her scientific background with mindfulness-based practices to help attendees facilitate healing and self-discovery.
About the new venue at the Roundhouse Lodge, Eagles says: "The top of the mountain feels like an incredibly natural fit. It really leans into Whistler's natural beauty with fresh mountain air contributing to wellness. And of course: there's a ton of complementary activities and things you can do at the top of the mountain."
There are, of course, many other speakers and activities—too many to cover in one article.
"I just want to hone in on the breadth of the schedule: 60-plus events, 20-plus wellness professionals involved," says Eagles. "We've worked really hard to bring in [people] who are experts in their field that can help elevate [our speaker series and masterclasses]. There's really something for everyone.
"Because Nourish happens over five weekends, we get the opportunity to build momentum and awareness as the series goes on. The formatting was intentional in that it allows attendees to get involved at their own pace … to curate their own wellness retreat. We hope that it really does leave a meaningful effect and create new habits and connections within the resort."
Visit whistler.com/events/nourish-whistler-wellness for tickets and more details.
