Envision Festival in Costa Rica: A Celebration of Music and Sustainability

It’s no secret that Costa Rica is a natural wonderland. Surrounded by Pacific and Caribbean waters, coated in lush rainforests teeming with exotic plants and wildlife, and home to nearly 6 percent of the world’s biodiversity, it is an ideal location for an eco-friendly extravaganza.

The Envision Festival is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2020. Over the past decade, it has earned a reputation as one of the world’s greenest festivals, as well as a gathering for music, yoga, and a variety of wellness and socially-conscious activities. Built on ideals of sustainability, art, and personal and spiritual enlightenment, this festival offers an opportunity to experience models of sustainable business and living, and perhaps take those ideas back home.

An Eclectic Lineup to Educate and Inspire

The festival program is divided into four distinct parts, featuring a musical lineup typical of major venues, with a varied lineup of artists spread across four beautifully designed stages. Attendees are treated to four days of DJs and musicians dropping beats until sunrise, providing ample opportunity to dance the night away.

Yoga is another major component of the festival. Events take place far from the music, where two open-air yoga temples host classes ranging from traditional yoga to ecstatic dancing. Workshops cover topics from cryptocurrency to environmental issues such as permaculture throughout the festival grounds.

Moreover, various temples offer quaint gathering areas, including a female-centric Red Tent where women can sit together in privacy and engage in discussions on Guided Ritual Self-Love and the Feminine Economy.

Sustainability as a Guiding Principle

The Envision Festival is impressively sustainable, with environmental education at its core. There are no single-use items, and all food and drink are sold in reusable containers with a deposit and trade-in system. Recycling and waste stations are strategically placed throughout the site, with an Eco Hub and Eco Team members available to assist guests with any green issues.

This commitment to sustainability is at the heart of the festival’s mission, not only during the event but also year-round. The event utilizes only locally-sourced bamboo for all onsite structures and works continuously with the local community to help repopulate strained ecosystems. Additionally, the founders manage Punta Mona, an eco-retreat focused on education, permaculture, and Costa Rican biodiversity.

While exploring the festival, attendees will find water stations offering fresh, free-flowing Costa Rican water and an Herbal First Aid Clinic providing health services and all-natural insect repellent, all sourced locally and free of charge. Despite attendance reaching approximately 7,000, you will be hard-pressed to find a scrap of trash. The usual festival carnage of crushed beer cans and discarded flyers is notably absent.

Instead, food vendors are selected for their use of all-natural ingredients, and commercial vendors are chosen for their commitment to sustainable materials and ethical production. The atmosphere of environmental care is infectious, leaving everyone more educated and with a holistic view of sustainable travel.

Getting There and Other Details

The festival takes place at Rancho La Merced, a national wildlife reserve on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, where Envision has gently laid down roots. Here, the rainforest begins its transition into the sea, as dense jungle opens up, trees provide a canopy, and sand appears underfoot.

The small town of Uvita is the closest urban center, a sleepy seaside community home to Marino Ballena National Marine Park. A few miles down the road is Dominical, a bustling surf town that becomes a hub during festival time. Both locations are about a three-hour drive from the capital of San Jose, with local buses, taxis, and festival shuttles in operation.

For accommodations, camping is a popular choice, and gear rental is available through the festival. Uvita offers several hotels and Airbnb options, with additional choices in Dominical and nearby rainforests.

For a slightly higher-end and eco-friendly lodging option, visitors can check out Selva Armonia, an eco-retreat hidden in the hills of Uvita. This peaceful oasis, managed by one of the festival’s founders, offers organic vegan meals prepared with homegrown ingredients, along with yoga sessions and stunning sunset views over the Pacific.

While focused on socially conscious travelers, the Envision Festival provides every visitor with the chance to experience and learn from a truly environmentally friendly event, all while enjoying themselves.

The Envision Festival is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with an extended 7-day experience taking place February 17-24, 2020.