In March 2022, I traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana for Wanderfest 2022, the inaugural outdoor travel festival for women hosted by Wanderful. If you aren’t familiar with Wanderful, it’s an amazing membership community that connects women who love travel, providing opportunities to share tips and resources, come together for social events, and host fellow Wanderful members visiting their hometowns. I’ve been a member for a few years now, although I hadn’t been very active in the Wanderful community until I made the decision to travel to Wanderfest.
The festival was held at the Spanish Plaza along the waterfront of the Mississippi River. The lineup was fabulous and kicked off with Travel Channel host Oneika Raymond. There were opportunities to dance and opportunities to move, with local musicians, a Masala Bhangra Indian dance class, AfroBeat Yoga, and even a Bounce & Twerk Class! There was a cooking demonstration with Indigenous chef Crystal Wahpepah, who was recently nominated for a James Beard Award. There were uplifting and informative panels with travel industry leaders, and a Be Bold Women In Business Pitch Competition. In between main stage sessions, there was a marketplace to wander featuring women-owned businesses and local food vendors. And one of the highlights of the festival – the first day concluded with the Wanderful Woman Parade with a traditional New Orleans brass band and Second Line.
What had really sold me on attending was the fireside chat and book signing with Patricia Schultz, whose book 1000 Places to See Before You Die has been my travel bible ever since I picked it up as a college student just getting immersed into the world of travel. I’ve consulted that book before every trip I’ve planned, and this time it traveled with me on my trip to NOLA to be signed by Patricia while I shyly fangirled.
The other thing that had factored into my decision to attend Wanderfest was the opportunity to experience New Orleans at the same time. In addition to the local culture incorporated into the festival programming, many of the Wanderful chapters and partners hosted excursions on the days surrounding the festival that were a great chance to see the city. I did a Voodoo Walking Tour, a Cemetery Tour, and an Instagrammable French Quarter photography walk. And of course I took part in the super fun bar crawl hosted by festival partner Seeker.
Memorable travel experiences aside, I walked away from Wanderfest with a lot of personal insight and inspiration, and wanted to share my key takeaways from attending the festival:
Travel unites us.
We were one big beautiful diverse group of women. Women of all ages, races, backgrounds, and sexual orientations from every corner of the country were all brought together at Wanderfest and bonded by our common love of travel.
If there’s something you’re passionate about, go for it.
Both the main stage lineup and the vendor market at Wanderfest were full of self-made women following their passions. The sense of entrepreneurship was prevalent and inspiring, especially Oneika Raymond’s “now or never” story about how she took a chance and made her way into the journalism field in New York City.
You don’t need to choose between a career and a family.
This was brought up during the Women Trailblazers panel discussion and it resonated, as I’ve often wondered myself if I could eventually juggle a family while advancing my career in an industry that I’m passionate about that demands a strong dedication of my time and energy. These strong women on stage were finding a way to have a family while running their own businesses. Too often women choose between a career and raising kids, a choice that men aren’t expected to make. Trying to manage both isn’t easy, but with an understanding partner and a strong support system, a woman can still build her empire while also building a family.
Women Need to Support Women.
Women have enough forces trying to hold us back in this highly competitive world. We need to support each other whenever we can by believing in each other, encouraging each other, and supporting women entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses. Supporting each other moves us all forward.
Just Be Yourself.
Being at Wanderfest surrounded by this diverse group of women, I felt I was in a safe space, a place where I could truly be myself. No questions asked, no judgment passed. I felt this most during the Twerk Class – I’m usually a bit of a wallflower when it comes to anything that requires participation or *gulp* dancing in front of other people (unless there’s alcohol involved). But I took part in the Twerk Class and had THE most fun ever. I was bad at it, others were bad at it – but no one cared and no one judged, it was so much fun to just dance and laugh with my fellow ladies.
One Size Travel Does Not Fit All.
This was said in one of the main stage sessions and I LOVED it: there needs to be no judgment when it comes to travel experiences. Someone who’s never left the country isn’t any less of a traveler than someone who’s backpacked through Asia. There’s no such thing as a mediocre traveler. If you enjoy going to a new place and stepping out of your comfort zone, it doesn’t matter how near or far that place is from home. You can be a tourist in your own city if you’re getting out and visiting places you’ve never been to before. You taking that step and seeking out something new makes you a traveler.
I’m going back next year.
Leaving Wanderfest with all of this inspiration and empowerment, I immediately knew that I want to attend again next year. During the festival, Wanderful announced free general admission for Wanderful members to next year’s Wanderfest, so I’ve already secured my ticket and am so excited to hear what next year has in store! Will I see you there??
C to Shining C 