SoulPlay’s 10th Anniversary Festival Continues Its Journey Toward Radical Belonging in Increasingly Divide Times
June 12-15, 2025 in Cobb, CA
Come Dare, Dance, Thrive and Play With A Purpose!
COBB, CA (April 21, 2025) — In an era of increasing political polarization and social division, SoulPlay celebrates its 10th anniversary June 12-15 at Mandala Springs Wellness Center in Cobb, CA, offering a refreshing alternative: a four-day immersion in cultivating radical belonging, consent culture, and community across differences.
“We believe that playful connection has the power to bridge the divides that dominate our current cultural landscape,” says Holly Burlet, SoulPlay’s founding member and creative director. “For ten years, we’ve been evolving a container where people from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and identities can begin to drop their armor and experience a sense of belonging—something many participants tell us they rarely find elsewhere.”
Over the past ten years, SoulPlay has dedicated itself to deepening its inclusion work by creating an Inclusion and Belonging Team. This ongoing effort reflects the organization’s commitment to bringing to life its evolving philosophy: “Diversity is having a seat at the table. Inclusion is having a voice. Belonging is having that voice be heard.” (who is this quote from, need to add)
“Creating truly inclusive spaces is a continuous journey, not a destination,” explains Odessa Perez, who helps lead the festival’s inclusion efforts. “We’ve learned so much over the years, and we recognize we still have meaningful work ahead. Each festival teaches us new ways to better support our community across all identities and backgrounds.”
The festival’s approach combines a substance free environment with boundary-setting education, embodied consent practices, and skilled facilitation to create an environment where vulnerable connection can develop safely. As societal divisions deepen, SoulPlay’s commitment to this work has only grown stronger.
SoulPlay offers a diverse lineup of presenters offering experiences from movement and dance to deep relational practices. The Irreverent Reverend Dereca Blackmon leads our festival with ceremony and inspiration to rise above our differences and deepen our connections. Other premiere presenters include Z Griss of Embody More Love making offerings at the edge of grief and eros, Matt Sturm leading our Joygasm, Eliza Maroney with her unique Samba Yoga, Emma + Fin of Normalizing Nonmonogamy will help us find friends for the festival, Daway Chou-Ren to make space for our rage, William Winters of Bonobo Network for impact play, and so many more. Check out the full presenter line-up here: https://www.soulplay.co/presenters
SoulPlay also offers an incredible roster of conscious music artists to uplift and elevate the spirit and keep things moving and grooving! This year’s musical line-up includes: David Starfire who is known as the pioneer of Global Bass music and composer for meditation and psychedelic therapy, get funky with Mystical Joyride and their genre-fluid, psychedelic world-pop band, Marya Stark who brings mystic worlds to life, the melodic deep bass and tribal sounds of Agua Mayyim, Rafe Pearlman inspiring harmony and unity, Rachel Lark and her catchy anthems about taboo topics, sing around the campfire with Lauren Arrow, enjoy the melodic frequencies with ALIA, dance at the pool with DJ Dragonfly, Maya Light, and Qoi, and hold your tender heart with Scott Elliot Ferreter. Learn more: https://www.soulplay.co/music
“What makes the SoulPlay journey meaningful isn’t just the workshops or performances—it’s that for four days, 700 people explore together what a more connected society might feel like,” adds Misha Bonaventura. “Participants take these evolving tools for connection and belonging back into their communities, creating ripples of change far beyond the festival.”
For more information or to schedule interviews with SoulPlay producers, presenters, or participants, please contact Gail Silverman
About SoulPlay
SoulPlay is a unique combination of a retreat and a festival, a classroom and a playground, an invitation and a dream that we can create more inclusive, more consensual spaces where people find deeper belonging. For ten years, this intimate gathering has been developing transformative experiences focused on heart-opening connection across differences, personal expansion, and play. Learn more at https://www.soulplay.co/
Learn more: https://www.soulplay.co/ Purchase Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/soulplay-2025/tickets
For media inquiries, please contact Gail Silverman at