Chill at Depot Park Saturday at first De-Stress Fest

Benjamin Bullard, The Cullman Times, Ala.
·2 min read

May 13—From COVID-19 to politics to the economy and more, it's been a roller coaster of a past year for a lot of people. And with May marking the recognition of mental health awareness month, mental health care provider WellStone is teaming with local partners to give everyone a few ideas on how to dial back the pressure when life keeps dialing it up.

On Saturday, Depot Park will play host to the area's first-ever De-Stress Fest, an outdoor event aimed at giving people "some fun ways of handling the stresses in their lives," according to WellStone substance abuse prevention & treatment coordinator Tommie Sanders.

"We were trying to think of something that is fun and interesting that would appeal to people, and we came up with this," said Sanders, adding that the event is the first of its kind — to her knowledge — in the Cullman area.

"People are stressed out over all kinds of things recently — over COVID; over getting a job; even, for some employers, over a lack of employees. There are a lot of sources of stress in a lot of people's lives right now, and we just wanted to offer something fun that they could respond to and enjoy."

True to its intent, the free event is decidedly low-pressure: though there'll be participation-focused activities like Yoga and exercise going on in the park, anyone is welcome to simply come and browse the tables, talk to organizers, and perhaps pick up a tip or two. "It's meant to be comfortable and casual," explained Sanders. "No one has to take part in anything. It could be a good, low-pressure learning opportunity for anyone who wants to come and try out some new things."

In addition to the active stuff, there'll also be other stress-busting measures available at booths set up at the park. "We'll have tables with stress balls, anxiety bottles, and just different practitioners in addition to WellStone who can lend their knowledge," said Sanders.

"We're sponsoring it, but we just want people to have resources — whether it's from our center or from somebody else. Overall, the idea is to get the resources and information out there, and to help people learn some fun ways to de-stress."

De-Stress Fest kicks off at 11 a.m. at Depot Park on Saturday, May 15 and continues until 2 p.m. The event is free of charge, and is open to both children and adults.