Holistic Healers at Harrowsmith Fair

Kelli McRobert | Sep 27, 2023

Centennial Park was the place to be this past Saturday as the South Frontenac Holistic Fair took place Each booth had something to offer that related to health and wellness, with many offering services locally within South Frontenac or surrounding areas.

To the left, was the presentation stage, as chairs were neatly lined up and filled with interested visitors learning about local, alternative, and holistic health care from various experts in the field. If you were one of the first 50 to register you received a fun gift bag upon arrival.

The morning started off with a group welcome and then an open meditation followed, led by Ellie Steele and Marilyn Picard. From there you could wander the various booths that lined both sides of the pavilion and offered a welcoming space to explore new ideas, concepts, and healthy lifestyle choices. My first stop was to visit Laura Ireland, she had a beautiful display of gongs, bowls, and chimes, set out for when she led small groups through short sessions of sound healing. It was lovely to hear the sounds as they washed over you as you sat quietly amongst nature. The excitement of fall surrounded us, as the leaves began to turn brilliant shades of red and yellow. You could feel a cool gentle breeze as it flowed past us, eyes closed, hearts open. Laura has quite an extensive training background and welcomed questions about Reiki, Breathwork, and Crystal healing. expressionsforthesould.com

Next up was Optimizing your Water Body for True Hydration and Health by Ashley Howatt of H302 and Back to Health Massage and Wellness. Back to Health was also on site and they were excited to share their expertise in massage, chiropractic care, personal training, cold laser therapy, reflexology, and holistic health coaching, to name but a few. They have expanded their office to bring you more services! You can find them at backtohealthrmt.com.

We then moved onto Movement Meditation: Qigong with Marilyn Picard of Global Citizens for a New Earth, followed by Mindful Hatha Yoga with Maria Teglas of Ready Blessings Yoga. www.readyblessingsyoga.com By this point, I was ready for a snack, and headed over to Rampant Kitchen to enjoy some yummy gluten-free zucchini chocolate brownies and a home-made salad. Their food is ‘uninhibited’ and so tasty! They offered up mini heirloom pizzas, harvest salads, date and cinnamon rolls, cookies, and lemonade .You can find them on Facebook or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. where everything is made from scratch for all your meal needs, including catering! Who knew??! Local, sustainable, and fresh!

The afternoon offered up an Introduction to Forest Therapy with Claire Beach of Among the Trees Forest Therapy (amongthetreesforesttherapy.com) where participants immersed themselves in nature, “to calm the mind, heighten senses, and awaken the soul.”

Then it was Building Resiliency in Parenting with Amanda Hall of Willow Family OT from Battersea. They You can find out more at willowfamilyot.com 

As I roamed about the space, it was an interesting mix of practitioners and vendors. Here were just a few: Massage therapists, Holistic Health Coaches, Homeopaths, Herbalists, Yoga Teachers, Personal Trainers, Occupational Therapists, Reiki Practitioners, Holistic Nutritionists, Shamanic Medicine Practitioners, Energy Medicine Practitioners, Hypnotherapists, Naturopathic Doctors, Acupuncturists, Aromatherapists, Sound Therapists, Tarot Readers, Astrologists, natural body care product makers, and healthy food producers.

The final session closed out the afternoon with a sound bath ceremony offered by Laura Ireland, and yes, we have come full circle, as she led the group through a ½ hour group experience.

What a great day, and a wonderful gathering of people who shared their passion, experience, and training to a keen group. It’s amazing to see how many services are continuing to expand north to our communities, and I look forward to next year’s event!

And, remember to breathe.