The Take Care Fair was inspired by the idea that everywhere we are, we are surrounded by a community of healers, and that together we are stronger and more effective in bringing healing to our community, and our world. Almost two years ago I moved to Upstate New York in search of the life that I dreamed of. I had found myself at a point in New York City where I was working my ass off to live in an apartment that I was never at because I was working so much. In an effort to see friends and spend time with my child, my after work hours
were spent trying to soak in every minute that I could with them, which meant rushing through every moment to the next, and being exhausted and distracted constantly. I wasn't enjoying New York City, I was surviving it. So I quit my job and moved to upstate New York to work on what I was passionate about; The Healing Arts. This was something that I had been craving and desiring for so long, and I felt that the only way to effectively get there was to move out of the loud, fun, dirty, amazing, distracting city.
I live in Old Chatham, which may seem like a tiny insignificant place to most of you, but it's not. It is actually full of magic. Not only am I close to some family up here, but I am 30 minutes from Hudson, Albany, Germantown, Great Barrington, but I am 40 minutes from Rhinebeck, Poughkeepsie, Troy, Catskill, and an hour from Woodstock, Saratoga Springs, Phoenicia,and Kingston. Only 2.5 hours from NYC. I have anything I want or need just a short drive away. What I also found when I moved up here is that there is a huge community of Wellness Proffessionals. It's almost like a mecca for light workers. Some of them are booked constantly and
some not so much. Many of them have to commute to the city a few days a week for most of their clients. That is what was happening to me. So, as I tried to find clients up here, I realized that I didn't know how. So I reached out to this community that I had connected with upstate, and my friend Rachel and I made the "Soul Medicine Collective" SMC gets together and brainstorms ways to highlight our local vicinity in this beautiful Hudson Valley and Catskill area. We feel it’s important to capture the idea that we don’t have to live in a big city to give and receive self care. We trade healing modalities, we refer each other, we take care of each other when one of us is down, and we try to support each other's events by attending them or sharing them.
Lately I've been obsessed with the idea that "Alternative Medicine" IS medicine, and should just be part of every day care. The average new yorker goes to the the medical doctor, maybe we see a Reiki practitioner, or acupuncturist, possibly a trainer/nutritionist, we do yoga, pilates, etc... But there is so much more out there! Many people unfortunately either never hear of all that is available, or they are afraid to try it when they do. Or can't afford to just test it out. When you work in this industry you get to meet so many people
who are doing new amazing things, or resurrecting ancient ways, and you get to try a lot of it by trading, or bartering, or just giving to each other. In any case, it is around us, we get to experience it. I think many of us humans have come to a realization that much of what Western Medicine is doing is treating the symptoms, while "Alternative medicine" digs deep to the root of the problem. So why can't we just accept both as Medicine? We can! I want everyone to know that! Not just people who are aware or involved in the industry.
I was trying to figure out a way to combine this idea of showcasing local healing talent, local centers, and bringing to light this idea of Self Care as a way of every day life through whole Mind, Body, Spirit care. Like "Soul Medicine Collective", but on a larger scale. I work out of a Collective in NYC, who's beliefs are similar, called City Wellness Collective run by Michelle and Dan Keinen . They are an incredible support network for us as healers. Not only do they rent us space to work out of, and do workshops, but they individually support each and every one of us in our endeavors to heal people, to collect clients, and to take care of ourselves. They are an amazing resource, but they are in New York City! Everything is a few blocks away, and clients are more aware and accepting of the healing modalities there. There is a vast coomunity there of many different kinds of healers. In my search for a way to support, create community with, collaborate with and search out these healers upstate I came up with the idea of a big Wellness Fair. I am not the first person to think of this. I have actually tabled and given sessions in a few before, but this one would be different.
In my travels connecting with people to try to manifest this dream I met two incredible industrious entrepreneurial ladies who head the Hudson River Exchange. Everything with meeting Stella Yoon and Kate Moore was serendipitous, and in a few phone conversations and emails, the TAKE CARE FAIR was born.
At The Take Care Fair you will find people and organizations that work with mind, body, spirit wellness and energy work. Some are doctors who also work with integrative, or alternative care, others are sound healers, musicians, tincture makers, yogi’s, herbalists, acupuncturists, tarot card readers, rolfers, etc… Some will be giving mini sessions by donation that you can try out. Some will be giving demos. Some will be offering mini classes and workshops, others will be giving talks about what they do. There will even be healthy food and drinks to taste, and tinctures and salves to buy!
By gathering together all of these health enthusiasts and healers in locality. We hope to forge a community of caregivers that work together to promote this lifestyle and each other. For practitioners, this is an amazing way to network and to receive new clients for your retreat center, or your healing practice. This is also a great way to unite with other wellness professionals so that you can refer each other, work together, or do barter and trade or energy exchanges. Many of us in the healing arts still have to commute to a long way for clients, when there are more than enough clients who could use our modalities in their lives right where you live. There is nothing like the Take Care Fair where as practitioners we can receive all of this assistance with advertising, outreach and a venue to show how our healing work can benefit the community. A place where we can introduce ourselves to clients face to face, and actually show them what we do, so that they can feel it, see it, touch it, as opposed to a website that just explains it on the surface.
For visitors of the Take Care Fair it is a chance to try out sessions, see demos, listen to sound baths, and connect with all of the local resources in this industry. It is a way for visitors to see how "Self Care" is not "Radical", or "Alternative", it is and can be “Real Care”, or “Main Care” for anyone and everyone. By
gathering all of these wellness professionals together under one roof, we are highlighting this idea of “alternative Care” as Main Care. We are giving people a choice to step out of what they would normally do and see what else is out there. Or for people who are well versed in the healing arts, it’s a perfect way to connect with and get to know your local practitioners. That way YOU can have a choice in your own care, and the knowledge to back it up with.
We have so many resources around us for self care that we are unaware of wherever we live. Many of us are fearful of trying new things, new foods, new health strategies, new stores, and stepping out of what is comfortable. The Take Care Fair is like a tasting menu for all of us, so that we can experiment with seeing, touching and feeling these healing modalities and even getting to try, hear, and taste some of them.
Take Care Fair will take place Sunday, June 25th from 11am to 4pm at the Hudson Riverfront Park. We can't think of a better way to round out Summer Market weekend! Our hope is that visitors leave with new strategies for wellness and self care, bellies full of delicious healthful food, and smiles on their faces!
We can't wait to see you there!
For more information and applications to have a booth or to be a presenter or Sponsor please visit
you can also email me at stellafay@gmail.com
see photos below of the previous events that Hudson River Exchange has produced
