About Little Blue River Wellness Festival
Little Blue River Wellness Festival was created as a gathering place for connection, education, and accessible wellness. Rooted in the belief that wellness should feel welcoming and attainable for everyone, the festival brings together community members, local practitioners, educators, and small businesses to create a space where people can explore whole-person wellness in a supportive environment. LBRWF also serves as a fundraiser for the Little Blue River Wellness organization, helping support the 501(c)(3) nonprofit’s mission of providing free community support groups, wellness classes, educational opportunities, and resource connections throughout the year. Every gathering helps build the foundation for continued access to supportive wellness resources for the community.
You can stay connected with LBRWF via Instagram lbrwellnessfest and on their Facebook page Little Blue River Wellness Festival
Our Mission:
To bring people together through immersive wellness experiences that inspire empowerment, self-growth, and collective well-being in nature.
Read Our Story from The 765: Healing by the River: Little Blue River Wellness Festival brings hope, connection and holistic care to rural Indiana
The Vision
The vision behind Little Blue River Wellness Festival is to bridge the gap between embodied wellness and rural life by making wellness more accessible, digestible, and connected to everyday living. We aim to bring meaningful wellness experiences to a landscape where these resources can often feel limited — creating a space where people can explore workshops, trauma-informed care, somatic bodywork, self-care practices, evidence-based approaches, and holistic wellness in a welcoming environment.
Through workshops, experiences, conversations, and community connection, we hope to create a space where people feel heard, grounded, and supported while discovering new tools for caring for their mind, body, and spirit.
By weaving together body-centered practices, community connection, respect for the land, and a sober-friendly environment, Little Blue River Wellness Festival creates a space where individuals can slow down, reconnect, and experience wellness without barriers.
Our hope is that what begins on this land extends beyond the festival — inspiring healthier relationships with ourselves, each other, and our communities. Through the integration of modern wellness, holistic health, and rural connection, we hope to spark new beginnings that ripple outward from the heart of Indiana and beyond.
“My hopes are to create a space for resources and healing- not only for our community, but to provide healing to the land, the water, and to the deepest parts of ourselves. Let it be felt -let it sink into the depths of us that need it the most- our hearts, into the earth, and down the river into every cell and community. We need it- the world needs it.” — Festival founder
About Little Blue River Wellness
Little Blue River Wellness is an Indiana 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to preventative wellness education, community connection, and supportive resources that help people build healthier, more sustainable lives.
Founded by Shyla Sharp, a Trauma-Informed 500-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher with a heart for purpose, Little Blue River Wellness began from a belief that wellness should be accessible, welcoming, and rooted in community. Shyla believes in the power of slowing down, reconnecting with nature, and creating spaces where people can find balance through mindful movement, self-care practices, and authentic connection.
Through her own journey of adversity Shyla recognized the need for more accessible wellness resources — especially in rural areas where opportunities for holistic health, trauma-informed support, and preventative care can often feel limited. This vision became the foundation for Little Blue River Wellness.
Beyond the festival, Shyla leads community wellness offerings including monthly Sister Circles, creating safe and supportive spaces for women to share, grow, and support one another. She also leads Circles of Strength, monthly trauma-informed support groups in Rush County designed to create spaces for connection, education, and support around a variety of community needs. These gatherings explore different monthly themes including substance support, suicide loss, LGBTQ+ support, grief, and other topics impacting individuals and families, while collaborating with local professionals and community partners to provide compassionate and informed resources.
Shyla has shared Trauma-Informed Yoga, mindfulness practices, breathwork, and wellness education with local students, community members, and organizations. She has taught Grief Share programming with local middle school students and provided trauma-informed mindfulness and breathwork education to the local mental and behavioral health department, continuing to build bridges between wellness practices, community care, and accessible support.
Through these experiences, Shyla continues to expand her education and understanding of trauma-informed care, human services, and community support to better serve the people around her.
Shyla is currently pursuing her Human Services degree with a focus in Social Work at Ivy Tech Community College, continuing to expand her knowledge of trauma-informed care, community support, and helping professions. Her educational journey reflects her commitment to building a deeper understanding of the individuals and communities she serves.
Little Blue River Wellness exists to create inclusive, grounded spaces where wellness is not something exclusive or out of reach, but something people can experience through connection, education, support, and community.
We believe wellness is built one step, one breath, and one connection at a time.
You can find her via @shylamariesharp on Instagram and the Facebook Group Little Blue River Wellness
Watch Shyla’s interview with Indy Holistic Living
About Little Blue River Lake and Trailer Park
A Family Legacy Since the 1970s
Long before Little Blue River Wellness Festival began, this land was already a place of gathering, memories, and connection.
In 1974 Ruth and Max Sharp were passing by this overgrown piece of land when they saw something special. They looked around and thought, “This would be perfect for a campground.”
Ruth and Max spent years traveling across the United States on their motorcycles, exploring new places and creating memories along the way. Eventually, they dreamed of having a place of their own — a home base, a place to gather, and their own stomping grounds that they didn’t have to travel far and wide to find.
That dream became Little Blue River Lake and Trailer Park (Little Blue River Campground).
Since then, this land has remained a gathering place for generations of families, friends, and community members. What began as a campground dream has grown into a place filled with stories, traditions, and lifelong memories.
Nestled beside the Little Blue River, the property is home to what locals lovingly call “Sharp’s Lake” — a small pond surrounded by the peaceful beauty of nature. Today, the campground includes seasonal tenants, a pay lake, and boat access, continuing the tradition of creating a place where people can slow down, connect, and enjoy the outdoors.
Little Blue River Wellness Festival is honored to continue building upon the legacy of this special place — a place where people have gathered for decades and where new memories continue to be made.
