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Let’s face it: Between all the noise, how expensive everything is, and how fast we all gotta move, New York isn’t the most conducive for fostering great mental health, which is why any event that prioritizes our psychological wellbeing always feels refreshing.
Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health is the perfect example of an event that wants to get serious about mental health while still having fun, and it’s been going strong for several years. On Sunday, May 18, the festival is returning for its sixth year of celebrations that will include a free, open-air event in the streets of Brooklyn.
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The festival will take place on Jefferson Street between Irving Avenue and Wyckoff Avenue in Bushwick starting at 12pm, and will feature sets from musician Kevin Morby, MisterWives, Bailen and SHAED.
House of Yes, the popular Bushwick nightclub located on the block, will host DJ sets and a dance party throughout the day. The festival will also include Sound Sessions, which will have yoga, mindfulness, sound baths and breathwork meditation classes. There will be food and drinks provided by the legendary food festival Smorgasburg, and mental-health panels that will explore topics like mental health in POC and queer communities.
The festival is meant to address the mental health crisis, which has only continued to worsen since the pandemic, and young people are experiencing depression and anxiety in record numbers. In addition to bringing people together to create awareness around our mental health crisis, the event is also going to support funding for the Sound Mind Center, a music and wellness center that will focus on creating healing experiences through sound and is opening later this year. The space will host workshops and meditations during the day and transform into an event space with concerts, open mics and community showcases in the evening.
If you're still itching to party after The Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health is over, they will have an after party at Elsewhere, which will include a set by DJ White Snow, who produced Lady Gaga’s most iconic albums, including Born This Way and Artpop. You can get tickets to the afterparty, which will happen from 9pm till midnight, here.
If you are super down for the cause and want to support the Sound Mind Center with your money, special VIP tickets will be available to anyone who donates $150 or more. The VIP passes will include a swag bag filled with gifts and entry to the afterparty at Elsewhere. You can get your tickets to the event here.