Is Organic Food Really Better?

A new report published in the journal Science Advances suggests that, while there certainly are some benefits to choosing organic foods, there are also some drawbacks.

Researchers evaluated existing information about organic farming for criteria such as crop yield, impact on climate change, farmer livelihood, and consumer health. They found that the environmental benefits of organic farming are offset by lower crop yields, which are typically 19 to 25 percent lower than those produced through conventional farming methods.

Organic foods are grown without pesticidesand thats a good thingbut organic farms use more landand thats harmful to the planet overall. According to researchers, land conversion for agriculture leads to habitat loss and contributes to climate change.

Image Credit: Thinkstock

Sourced from: FOX News

A new arthritis treatmentsynthetic cartilage implantscould be life-changing for the growing number of people who suffer from joint pain and limited mobility. The implants, which are made from the same material as contact lenses, are already being used in some patients in Europe and the U.S.

Arthritis affects more than 54 million people in the United Statesmostly womenand synthetic cartilage could one day be a permanent solution, reducing the need for pain medication and other therapies that are ineffective for many patients.

So far, the implants have been used in knee and thumb joints in Europe, and big toe joints in the U.S. According to researchers, synthetic cartilage has been shown to reduce pain in 91 percent of patients and significantly improve mobility.

Image Credit: Thinkstock

Sourced from: NBC News

Beneficial bacteria may help reverse a cycle of inflammation found in certain inflammatory bowel diseases, researchers recently reported in the journal Nature Immunology. The most common types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are Crohns and ulcerative colitis.

According to researchers, inflammation in the GI tract develops when an inhibitor called NLRP12 is not present. This inflammation then upsets the balance of bacteria in the digestive system further, leading to an abundance of harmful bacteria and lower levels of beneficial bacteria and creating even more inflammation. Adding beneficial bacteria back to the digestive tract can help end this cycleperhaps leading to a new treatment for IBD.

Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis often have a negative impact on quality of life and can increase colorectal cancer risk. Symptoms include diarrhea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. Inflammatory bowel diseases are caused by an abnormal immune system reaction to food, bacteria, and other substances found in the intestines.

Image Credit: Thinkstock

Sourced from: ScienceDaily

Daily Dose Index

Visit link:

Is Organic Food Really Better? - HealthCentral.com

EWG Report: How Congress Can Help Farmers Meet Soaring ... Environmental Working Group Despite the rapid growth of the organic food industry, U.S. production lags significantly behind consumer demand. A new report from EWG shows that with ... and more »

More here:

EWG Report: How Congress Can Help Farmers Meet Soaring ... - Environmental Working Group

Philip Chard, Special to the Journal Sentinel 12:04 p.m. CT March 17, 2017

Philip Chard(Photo: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

So, people are encouraging you to meditate.

After all, the science is clear.Meditators concentrate better, experience enhanced well-being, avoid hurry sickness and emotional hijacking, suffer less anxiety, sleep well and are often physically healthier.

But, what if you just cant do it?In listening to folks describe why theyve given up trying to meditate, I hear similar complaints.

Before I offer you an alternative to meditating altogether, lets examine the impediments that make it challenging.Most involve misunderstandings.

I cant stop thinking, many would-be meditators lament.

However, meditation is not about stopping thought.Its about positively altering your emotional relationship with your thoughts.You become the master of your thinking, not the other way around.Many of us allow our negative thoughts to dictate how we feel and behave, leaving us at the mercy of irrational forces in our psyches.

My mind wanders, is another common complaint.

In fact, after meditating effectively for a few minutes, the mind often enters a dreamlike, intuitive state of consciousness where imagination, insights, dreamlike images and mind wandering may emerge.Many meditators shift back and forth between a more focused state (concentrating on the breath, for example) and a more diffuse one.

Focusing on my breathing doesnt work, is another grouse.

You dont have to.Some meditators keep their eyes open and gaze at a candle, flower, painting or scene in nature.Others concentrate on an entrancing sound, like a brook, wind in the treetops, crickets, white noise, etc.And there are moving meditations, such as yoga, tai chi and just plain walking (if done in a mindful, non-distracted manner).

So, if one of these impediments applies to you, consider giving meditation another go.But if you just cant make it happen, there is an alternate path.

There is evidence that being mindful at intervals throughout your day will yield similar benefits to a daily meditation practice of 15 minutes or more.So, what exactly does it mean to be mindful?

When in this state of consciousness, we fully engage with the present moment in an accepting and non-judgmental way (think flow), awakening the dispassionate observer inside ourselves.Weve all had spontaneous interludes of mindfulness, usually when deeply absorbed in some pursuit.Mental chatter fades, time slows and concentration intensifies.

So, you need not add a new behavior, like meditating.You can simply conduct your daily habits in a mindful fashion.

Start with activities you now do mindlessly, like eating, bathing, brushing your teeth, making the bed, driving, etc.Using your senses, fully immerse yourself in whatever you are doing in the here-and-now so it envelopes your entire awareness.

Once you imbue your daily habits with mindfulness, this state of consciousness will ripple out into other spheres of your world.

Living in the present resolves many issues.

Meditate . . . practice mindfulness . . . either one will get you there.

Philip Chard is a psychotherapist, author and trainer. Email Chard at outofmymind@philipchard.com orvisitphilipchard.com.

Read or Share this story: https://jsonl.in/2maJjWE

Continue reading here:

Mindfulness, meditation both improve quality of life - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Although the practice of meditation dates to ancient times, sleek, boutique for-profit mindfulness centers outfitted with Instagram-worthy interiors, complimentary tea stations and soothing Spotify playlists have spread like Starbucks in Los Angeles and New York.

So, when three new meditation centers popped up in Washington, D.C., in a four-month span, I became intrigued: Is the District the next hub of enlightenment?

In a city flush with SoulCycle evangelists, Solidcore soldiers and CrossFit converts, fitness-minded Washingtonians are apparently now turning inward and flexing not just their muscles but their minds.

Its not surprising that the District, filled as it is with overworked, sleep-deprived, stressed-out Type A personalities, is seeking out meditation as a form of self-care.

Researchers have found that mindfulness-based programming not only helps individuals manage stress, depression and anxiety but also enhances productivity, creativity and concentration. Meditation-related physical benefits include lowered blood pressure, improved sleep and chronic pain management.

Last year alone, meditation-related businesses in the United States generated $984million in revenue, according to the research company IBISWorld. Mindfulness apps and websites, such as Headspace, a guided meditation app that has been downloaded more than 13million times, have also seen a boom in recent years. Fortune 500 companies, elementary schools and sports teams are also following the trend, offering free guided sessions in an effort to boost efficiency and quality of output; basketball star Kobe Bryant, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and Oprah Winfrey are outspoken practitioners.

Mindfulness has become not only mainstream but trendy. Former Vogue and Glamour editor Suze Yalof Schwartz opened Unplug Meditation in April 2014, hoping it would catch on as the Drybar of meditation. Thousands of people now flock to the centers $20 sessions, and there are sometimes waitlists for evening sessions.

The meditation buzz in Washington began with Just Meditate in Bethesda, which opened in November, and in December was quickly followed by recharj, a meditation and power-nap center within a block of the White House.

[Would you pay for a 20-minute nap? This studio is charging $15 for one.]

Take Five, which opened its doors in Dupont Circle on Feb. 24, prides itself on being the citys first meditation-only studio and offers 30- to 45-minute guided sessions weekdays between 7: 30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., with some afternoon weekend hours.

I recently took in a 12:30 p.m. $10 introductory meditation class at Take Five (the cost is typically $20 for a 30-minute class and $30 for a 45-minute class). Afternoon contemplation and decompression is atypical of my daily grind, as Im usually tethered to my computer or email at lunch. Needing some midday mindfulness, I was able to pay and reserve my spot or, rather, my bright-blue beanbag cushion in advance and find a class that worked best with my routine.

Twenty-four hours later, I arrived at Recess for Your Mind, a 30-minute guided class designed by instructor Jen Young for busy professionals to catch their breath, replenish their energy and reset their focus.

A first-time meditator, I brought a change of clothes, a water bottle and a hair tie. This, I quickly learned, was overkill, as most of my fellow enlightenment seekers were just fine with work pants, T-shirts and dress shoes. Kicking off my sneakers, I realized I had put far too much energy into locating matching socks and coordinated athleisure wear (whoops).

Sitting parallel to the bright, floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the bustling Dupont streets, I plopped down on my cushion and set my personal intention.

I fidgeted for a minute before settling on a comfy, cross-legged position. Then, I raced to calm my, well, racing mind.

For the first few minutes, this proved not only daunting, but impossible.

Bogged down by looming deadlines, I felt my forehead start to wrinkle as I attempted to wrangle my thoughts from wandering elsewhere. The clock was ticking and, at about 30 cents a minute, time was literally money. I had only a precious half-hour to unplug and unwind, and I wanted to make the most of it.

Luckily, with the help of Jens soothing voice and the blissful escape from technology, I was eventually able to tune out the noise, unclutter my thoughts and focus on and connect with my mind and body.

When the class was over, I felt like I had received a deep-tissue massage. Built-up toxins and stress had been kneaded out, and I left feeling lighter. After a few sips of complimentary tea (Take Fives custom Teaism blend) in the studios comfy lounge area, I was ready to return to work refreshed, relaxed and re-energized.

Exiting the studio, I glanced down at my smartphone: three missed texts and five unread emails. Before I allowed the stress to return, I glanced back at the studios large windows, remembered Jens advice and closed my eyes.

Taking a deep breath, I tucked my iPhone in my purse, hailed a cab and prepared to tackle the rest of the day.

More:

Is lunchtime meditation the latest wellness craze? - Washington Post

Women's Health

'I Tried Meditating Every Day for a MonthHere's What Happened' Women's Health I'd periodically considered trying meditationI was aware of its allurebut I wasn't sure how to go about it. The guidance I needed materialized recently in the form of a website by New York's MNDFL meditation studio that features videos of ...

Link:

'I Tried Meditating Every Day for a MonthHere's What Happened' - Women's Health

In the Srimad Bhagavatham, there is a very beautiful verse of instruction for meditation. Yena Kena Prakarena Manah Krishne Niveshayeth|| By whatever means you may adopt, bring the mind to Krishnameaning the centre of your beingconsciousness. You may substitute Krishna in that verse with any other name of the God you like or words like truth, self, reality, centre, universe, nature, force, Tao, Zen, Yoga etc. The important thing is to bring the mind to a state of meditation by whatever means you know.

In these columns, we will be seeing the many different means by which we can meditate. Take a walk into the forest. This is the means we will explore now. With a mind that is always used to so many channels, static and semantic noise all aroundyou would be doing yourself a great favour if you just stepped out one quiet afternoon and took a stroll through the woods in your neighbourhood. Yes! The woods are very much still out there. Bharat is still blessed with its forest cover. You might have to take that extra step of driving to your nearest forest cover or it can be a two-day adventure trip with a drive up the mountain too.

You may also have to take permission from the local Forest Department to walk through certain stretches. Yet it is worth the trouble and the quiet time with nature is a way to go deep into your own self. It is like a visit to your favourite temple. It soothes, relaxes, rejuvenates, refreshes, makes you charged to face life. Most of all it makes you feel so healthy and blessed.

Simply walk. There is no agenda. There is no desire to accomplish. Breathe deeply as you walk. Inhale the freshness of nature. Inhale the warmth of the soil. Take in the sounds of the birds and insects. See the streaming rays of sunlight through the green canopy. Hear the crunch of dried leaves crushing beneath your feet as you keep your footfalls with gentle respect to the silence of the forest. May be taste an edible fruit and feel the smell of the flowers. Experience the cool forest air through the pores of your skin. As you tire yourself with the walk, you may find a quiet stream or spring with clear water and a rock to sit by. Sit with eyes closed. Meditate. You have nothing to do, nowhere to go, but just be. The inspiration may bring a poem out of you. Jot them down in your notebook and keep going on.

Brahmacharini Sharanya Chaitanya (www.sharanyachaitanya.blogspot.in)

Originally posted here:

Bring the mind to a state of meditation - The New Indian Express

The Transcendental Meditation Center in Bellevue has seen a 61 percent increase in enrollment in the past year as people seek to quiet their brains in a stressful time.

Theyre for my TM teacher, I told the clerk as I leaned over the Safeway floral counter, watching him trim the ends off a bouquet of alstroemerias.

He looked up at me and grimaced.

Were supposed to bring a bouquet of flowers, a white handkerchief and Oh! Two fruits!

I walked over to the produce department and picked a pear and a grapefruit, then back to the floral counter, where the clerk had tied up the flowers with a ribbon.

Good luck, he said.

I didnt need luck to do Transcendental Meditation (TM) as much as I needed to shake my skepticism and crack open my mind and my wallet.

It costs the average person almost $1,000 to learn TM, which involves setting aside 20 minutes, twice a day, to let your consciousness sink like an anchor and tap into what physician and author Norman E. Rosenthal calls the silent core of our own being.

But they are doing it, and in remarkable numbers: In the past year, enrollment at the Transcendental Meditation Center in Bellevue has gone up 61 percent.

Ive been teaching since 1971, TM instructor Annie Skipper told me during a recent visit, and Ive never seen the stress levels as high as they are now.

Indeed, all around, people are anxious and divided. Driving too fast and drinking too much. Overwhelmed by posts and links and breaking news, all the while juggling their family and financial lives.

TM promises to help people quiet their minds and, as a result, live better lives.

Skipper, 69, was one of the earliest TM teachers in the Pacific Northwest. The practice was brought to the United States by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who gained fame as the guru to The Beatles and The Beach Boys, among others.

Jerry Seinfeld practices TM. So does Ellen DeGeneres. A group of staffers from Buzzfeed signed up to meditate for two months, and shed their cynicism and anxiety (and phone addiction) and felt a new calm.

TM practice has also helped veterans suffering from PTSD, women who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assault, and children in low-income, urban schools.

In 1971, Skipper was living in a University District apartment with her sister, who had taken a six-month TM teacher-training class in California and came back changed.

I thought she was too enthusiastic about TM and that it couldnt be that good, Skipper recalled. But I saw what was happening in her life. How she was changing.

She had a steadiness. She wasnt thrown off by the things happening around us.

Skipper trained in Majorca, Spain, then returned to Seattle to become one of its first teachers, seeing people in Kirkland until moving to the Bellevue center three years ago.

Its located in the rear of a nondescript office park. There is light through the windows, trees all around and Skipper sitting in a chair, smiling like the Mona Lisa.

On my first day, Skipper collected my flowers, fruit and handkerchief while I removed my shoes, then led me into a smaller room where we stood before a table bearing a portrait of Guru Dev (Swm Brahmnanda Saraswat, the spiritual leader of Jyotirmath in the Indian Himalayas) while she performed a ceremony called a puja. She lit a candle while singing softly, and then turned to me and asked me to repeat a nonsensical prase three times. That would be my mantra.

The mantra is individualized for each student, who is required to keep it private to make sure they come from people qualified to teach, Skipper said.

You sit in a quiet, comfortable place, close your eyes and repeat the mantra in your head for 20 minutes, allowing thoughts to pass through, like birds across the sky, and fall into a deep state of rest.

Your mental activity, just like the ocean, has waves at the top, Skipper explained. As an ocean has silence at its depths, so does our mind. TM allows us to connect with that.

Your mind is alert, she said, but in a non-directed way. You have thoughts, but not at any level of meaning.

Any attempt to concentrate is counterproductive, Skipper said. Were nourishing the mind and body so we dont have so much struggle and strain in life.

In the course of four 90-minute lessons, I learned to not meditate after 7:30 p.m. because TM tends to energize you. I learned that you can find a quiet place anywhere even in an airport and to fight off distractions like calls, texts and emails, the incessant bings and beeps that demand immediate attention. If we let them.

In a week, my mind had more clarity. I slept well and deeply. I let other drivers cut in. I spoke less, and let some things go. (These are not small things.)

TM has been the subject of several studies that support its impact on blood pressure, heart health, stress and hypertension.

The most cited is a 1989 Stanford University study that found TM is twice as effective at reducing anxiety when compared with concentration, contemplation and other techniques like deep breathing.

Moreover, the American Medical Association released a study that shows TM reduces high blood pressure and mortality rates by almost 50 percent for those who have practiced for more than five years.

The cost of TM can be prohibitive. It costs almost $1,000, split into four monthly payments of $240. There are discounts for the second person of a couple and for full-time college and high-school students. Each TM center offers partial grants or partial scholarships for those facing financial hardship. There are retreats that cost more money, but once you pay for the initial teachings, youre in for life and can go back in to tune up your practice.

There are plenty of free meditation apps, but TM is one of the few that involves specific, one-on-one teaching.

Director David Lynch started a foundation that provides TM to at-risk youth, veterans, homeless people and Native Americans communities that have experienced trauma.

Some have suggested TM be added to the militarys basic training program because it improves resiliency. Skipper wishes more companies covered TM in their wellness programs, and provided meditation rooms.

We have an effect, not only on ourselves, but on our environment, she said. TM people can influence people around them. They tend to be that calm, go-to person in a crisis.

A more settled mind, she said, is a clear mind.

Read the original post:

What it's like to try Transcendental Meditation - The Seattle Times

Body of a nine-year-old tribal girl, a student of a state-run primary Ashram school in Odisha's Kandhamal district was found hanging in a hostel room, police said today.

The victim was a student of class three of the school at Belpadar, run by Tribal and Rural Development department of the state.

The girl died under mysterious circumstances as she allegedly hanged herself by using a bedsheet, said Ganeswar Bharimala, the District Welfare Officer (DWO), Kandhamal.

The victim was identified as Tulasha Kanhar, a tribal girl, who had appeared for her drawing examination earlier in the morning.

The girl was taken to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) at Phulbani where doctors decalred her brought dead.

Sarojini Swain her class teacher said, "There was no apparent reason on her part to take such an extreme step. We are surprised."

The girl's father, this afternoon, lodged an FIR with the Phulbani Sadar police station alleging murder of his daughter and demanded an impartial investigation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

See more here:

Tribal girl found dead in state-run primary Ashram school - Business Standard

40 minutes ago.

For many Indians even today, the Northeastern states of the country and its people are in the limelight most of the time for the wrong reasons. Be it news of violence, floods, insurgency and road blocks, the collective imagery of this part of our country in the national consciousness is still a region that is not just geographically remote but mentally alien.

The story of Natwarbhai Thakkar of Nagaland is refreshingly different. Thakkar came to Nagaland in 1955 to promote national and emotional integration through voluntary service on Gandhian principles and to conduct activities for all-round development of the people of Nagaland and Northeast India.

A Gujarati by birth, he chose to move from his hometown of Dahanu Road in Maharashtra in western India to Nagaland, inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhis thoughts imbibed during the freedom movement and further mentored by late Kaka Kalelkar, freedom fighter and social reformer.

Since then, his efforts, along with those of his wife Lentina, an Ao Naga, and many volunteers and staff of Nagaland Gandhi Ashram are directed at peace-building efforts at the frontier in spite of all the odds.

When he arrived in 1955, the road from Amguri in Assam foothills into the mountains of Nagaland was just about 80 km but it too many hours to reach the Chuchuyimlang village due to the difficult terrain. Chuchuyimlang then had houses with thatched roofs. Over the years, these made way to houses with tinned sheets and later into concrete structures. Communication facilities were a distant dream as not even a post office existed then nor a telephone link with the outside world. Electricity was a luxury.

In his first week in the village, he saved a child who needed medical attention and care. Slowly and steadily, responding to the needs of the community, a number of development initiatives were pioneered by the Gandhi Ashram established by him. These included weaving, vocational education, primary education, a library, youth activities, livelihood training and so on. Some activities flourished while others did not. The government, taking a cue from the Ashram, started a number of initiatives serving the very purpose of pilot efforts undertaken by the Ashram.

However, the journey was treacherous and Natwarbhai faced many challenges. Those who did not believe in national integration did not see Ashram activities sympathetically. In early years of his coming to Nagaland, his house was attacked at night by forces hostile to his efforts in peace building. He and his family had a narrow escape. The government often found his work irksome as he took a principled stand against any injustice and unfair practices causing harm to the Naga community.

But Natwarbhai persisted and remained steadfast like a true karmayogi. As his work expanded and found acceptance amongst the community, Natwarbhai became a part of the local community. Visitors and dignitaries blessed his work and stood behind his efforts in solidarity. Awards, recognitions, and fame came his way, but it did not affect him personally. He remains to be the same humble person with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

After 1990, when the computer education movement began to roll out all over the country, not to be left behind, Nagaland Gandhi Ashram was the probably the first NGO to establish a center in Chuchuyimlang village with the help of Ministry of Communications of the Government of India.

The Ashram recently tied up with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and is offering a postgraduate program in Human Development. The government has allocated land in the village and hopefully, a fully residential campus will come up in the coming years. As he says, That will be a farewell gift to me.

Natwarbhai is a living memoir and encyclopedia of the Northeast and especially Nagaland, the 16th state that was born in December 1963. I first met him in his Ashram in August 1987 when I was working as a volunteer with Jnana Prabodhini, a Pune-based NGO working in the field of education and national integration. I then lost contact with him and then got an opportunity to meet him almost after thirty years in November 2016.

When I had first met him, he had spoken of cultivating a sense of healthy curiosity. Those words stayed with me even now. Natwarbhai had continued on this journey of nurturing a healthy curiosity amidst changes that sometimes overpower the village life in remote regions. Natwarbhai at his young age of 85 is an active facebook user. Thanks to the facebook, I could reconnect with him.

During my visit, we talked about many things but I wanted to hear from him on what has changed and not changed in Nagaland in these 50 years. His observations are poignant.

At that time, there was not a single educated person in Chuchuyimlang village, he said. Now we can count a few IAS officers, teachers, government servants, and lawyers. There was neither a post office nor a telephone facility. Now the Nagaland Gandhi Ashram runs a computer center with over 60 computers offering several short and long duration courses for Naga youths.

Natwarbhai said he had observed several positive changes. We have now three local newspapers published from the state. There is a lot of debate on issues affecting the Naga society. I see a small beginning of the emergence of civil society. In our neighbourhood, someone recently started an orphanage. There is an active debate on issues impacting Naga society.

However, he is quick to point out that what is sorely missing is the moral foundation of the society. There has been a great erosion all around in our society. That to him is a worrisome trend.

On his long innings to build bridges between the Naga society and rest of the country, Natwarbhai is more circumspect in his reply. For me, it has been a long and sometimes tiring effort as also frustrating experience to build bridges among Nagas and citizens in other parts of the country, he said. I think that this connect is still very weak. It will take a long time to build strong linkages. But I am ever optimistic.

He added, There was an incident in the Raj Bhavan in Kohima where some miscreant removed the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. While this incident happened, around the same time, in my village Chuchuyimlang, the village council decided to felicitate me and honoured me with an award for lifetime achievement for community service. I am the only non-Naga to have received this honor.

What is that energy that continues to motivate him against all odds? He is modest in sharing, When I left for Nagaland, my mentor Kaka Kalelkar had advised me that you might believe or you may not believe. But try to continue to offer prayer at least every day as you get immersed in work. Thankfully, I have not missed my prayers all these years with only a few exceptions. The prayer is the Universal prayer that is sung in every Gandhi Ashram. OM tat sat sri narayan to purushottam guru tu.

As I returned to my workplace after a weeklong travel to the northeastern state, I continued to hum the universal prayer of peace that Natwarbhai and his fellow workers in the Ashram sang year after year, every single day, for spreading peace and promoting wellbeing, literally at the frontier. The Gandhi Ashram in Chuchuyimlang is the peace post at the frontier manned by a Gandhian volunteer almost single-handedly for the last 50 plus years.

Ajit Kanitkar is a Consultant for Tata Education and Development Trust and a Member of the research team at Centre for Development and Research in Pune. Prior to this, he was Programme Officer at Ford Foundation, India office, and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, both in New Delhi. He taught at Institute of Rural Management, Anand, during 1992-1995.

This article first appeared on Village Square.

Follow this link:

A Gujarati man has spend 50 years advocating peace and Gandhian principles in Nagaland - Scroll.in

From June 22nd 24th,Shadefestwillreturn for itsfor its third annual incarnationat River Springs Farmin Avenue, MD. The 2017 lineup features an eclectic mix of Shadefest Family vets and other successful touring acts likePeoples Blues of Richmond,Teddy Midnight,Kendall Street Company,Bencoolen,Surprise Attack,LITZ,Broccoli Samurai,Tropidelic,Formula 5,Of Tomorrow,Jouwala Collective,South Hill Banks, andBig Mama Shakes, as well as a special tribute toWeen byElectric Love Machine!

While the great music, camping and general good times abound at the homegrown festival, what sets the boutiqueevent apart is its beautifullocale, cast in the early summer sun along the banks of Southern Marylands Potomac River. With beautiful beaches for lounging in the sun andpicturesque riverside surroundings,Shadefest offers the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy great music and positive vibes away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

In addition to the main stage, this years Shadefest will offer late-night bluegrasssets, daily extras for VIP ticketholders, a Zen Den to relax in during the day, an open jam tent, and much more. Every minute of the intimate three-day event promises to offer something exciting to do for any festival-goer, and at just $60 per three-day pass, Shadefest is a financial no-brainer for even the most cash-strapped fans. Whether getting down under the massive stage-side shade tents, bobbing along in an inner tube, or grooving to late-night jams, Shadefest offers a fun-filled weekend adventure for music lovers in Maryland and beyond.

For full lineup, ticketing, FAQs, and any other information you need to know about Shadefest, visit the events website.

[cover photo by Nicole Wade Photography]

Continue reading here:

Shadefest Set To Bring Great Music And Relaxing Vibes Back To Riverside Maryland Locale - Live for Live Music