Upcoming Special Events – 2026 Festivals – 2026 Retreats
Upcoming Special Events:
Guided Shinrin-yoku: Relax & Reconnect in Nature (Last Summer Offering)
Thurs, Sept 10, 6-8pm at Blandford Nature Center, Grand Rapids
Savor one last summer evening in the forest during our final Shinrin-yoku inspired experience at Blandford Nature Center before the fall equinox. As always, we’ll begin this monthly offering with a brief introduction to the background and research behind forest bathing, how it differs from a hike, and why it’s internationally recognized as an effective practice for natural stress relief. From there, we’ll head into the woods for a relaxing, guided forest bathing experience, which includes an easeful guided meditation to help you more fully arrive, mindfulness invitations to expand your experience, wild-foraged tea, and more – helping you calm your nervous system, reconnect with nature, and experience the outdoors in a deeper, more intentional way. We hope to see you there!
Program Includes: a sit pad and blanket to use during the program, essential oils for meditation, wild foraged tea and a small snack
General Public Registration: $30
Blandford Members Save 20% and register for $25.60!
1 spot left!
Wild Food Foraging Class
Weds, Sept 30, 6-8pm at Blandford Nature Center, Grand Rapids
Join our guides Katie & Luke for a 2-hr foraging class at Blandford Nature Center on Weds, Sept 30, from 6-8pm! We can’t wait to return to this beautiful nature preserve and teach about the wild foods growing there in early fall. This class is an opportunity to explore with our instructors in a new environment (most of our community foraging classes are taught at Peace Park) and is structured to empower you to learn how to safely, ethically, and legally harvest wild foods through accessible information, hands-on learning, growth of identification skills, and an insight into the ethic of wild tending. Pure beginners and experienced foragers are alike will learn something new at this class. We hope to see you there!
General Public Registration: $32
Blandford Members Save 20% and register for $25.60!
Over half full!
Autumn Silent Hike & Guided Forest Bathing Experience with Katie
Saturday, Oct 3, 10am-12pm at the Saul Lake Bog, Rockford, MI
Back by request after our first Silent Hike & Guided Forest Bathing event in July, we’re excited to offer this experience again as we enter the beauty of fall! Inspired by a desire to journey deeper into nature together, this uniquely guided experience invites us to put more space between ourselves and the human soundscape as we immerse ourselves in a 123-acre nature preserve. We’ll connect with an opening community circle, take a silent a guided hike deeper into the meadows and forests (with mindfulness prompts to help you stay present along the way), and pause for a guided forest bathing experience with Katie halfway along the trail. On the hike back, you can continue in silence or linger at the back of the group to hike and chat with others, expanding your community and making new friends. This special October offering is being offered in place of our monthly Seasonal Forest Bathing Class, in celebration of autumn. We hope you can be there!
Special Rate: $18
Or use your IYE class pack to join!
Guided Shinrin-yoku: October After Dark
Thurs, Oct 22, 6-9pm at Blandford Nature Center, Grand Rapids
Join our guide Katie for a special after dark Shinrin-yoku experience in the October forests and meadows of Blandford Nature Center! This event follows the most internationally recognized framework for a forest therapy experience worldwide, honoring a full 3-hour timeframe to help you sink in, relax, and embrace the experience. We’ll start with a brief introduction to the background and research of Shinrin-yoku and then dive deep into a memorable evening in nature, with guided meditation, a variety of prompts for exploration after dark, community circles for connection, exploring different areas of the nature center grounds, and enjoying a closing candlelit wild foraged tea ceremony in the woods. From tree silhouettes to nighttime wildlife, there is so much to discover on an October night outside! We hope you’ll join us to see what nature has to share during this special autumn offering at BNC.
Program Includes: A provided sit pad and blanket, a red-tinted flashlight to use during the program, hot stone hand warmers, essential oils for meditation, wild foraged tea and a small snack, and after-hours access to the nature center grounds. We will also have bug spray available for your use, if needed (deet and deet free options).
General Public Registration: $45
Blandford Members Save 20% and register for $36!
Upcoming Festivals
Our 2026 festival season is complete! Stay tuned for 2027 opportunities!
Upcoming Retreats
Stay tuned for upcoming retreats!
Frequent Offerings
Learn more about our frequently offered events and workshops below and check out our Calendar & Events page to register for upcoming events!
$5 Community Gatherings
Join our $5 community gatherings to build your community, explore self-care in deeper forest settings, and nurture a new approach to time outside! We host two different gathering formats: Community Sit Spot Gatherings and Community Forest Gatherings. Both offer something unique and special, and are offered year-round, on a pop-up basis.
Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities via our class calendar HERE!
Yoga & Guided Forest Bathing Experiences
Originally one of our core classes, our yoga & guided forest bathing experiences hold a special place in our heart and remain one of our favorite pop-up classes to share in the warm weather months. During these 1.5-hr offerings, you’ll bring your mat outside and join Katie for a slow flow class in the living breathing forest – with time to explore the benefits of forest bathing and time off your mat, community connection, and more.
Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities via our class calendar HERE!
IYE Winter Wellness Club
Join us for our one-of-a-kind, three-month long Winter Wellness Club! This experience is hosted in select years over the course of the winter season, with special member’s only gatherings, opportunities to learn about winter nature connection techniques for self-care, weekly meditations, class passes, a chance to make new friends, and MORE.
Check back annually for Winter Wellness Club updates!
Guided Shinrin-yoku & Journaling in Nature Writing Workshops
Grab your journal and join us in the forest during these special 2.5-hr workshops, which blend journaling prompts and forest bathing techniques for relaxation, reflection, and connection to yourself and the world around you.
Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities via our class calendar HERE!
