The Festival's Name
Encapsulates Its Mission:
Ramping up
Our
Outreach
Towards
Self-care in the Mississippi Delta
Building a Healthy Delta Community, Together
The Delta Roots Festival is a community wellness celebration that brings together movement, mindfulness, music, food, creative expression, culture, and fun to inspire healthier living in the Mississippi Delta. Designed to be joyful, inclusive, and rooted in the richness of the region, the festival encourages individuals of all ages and abilities to engage in practices that support the mind, body, and spirit.
Each year, the festival features low- to moderate-impact movement activities, mindfulness and meditation sessions, live music, creative activities, nutritious food, and fellowship—all led by experienced health and wellness practitioners. The goal is to highlight the Delta’s existing strengths and cultural assets while creating space for people to reconnect with themselves, their neighbors, and their health.
Founded in 2022 by Dr. Ellen Harris and Cassandra Atley
The Delta Roots Festival was born out of a desire to combat the region’s high obesity rates and low physical activity by offering something joyful, accessible, and deeply connected to place. It’s more than an event—it’s a celebration of wellness, culture, and community.
Youth Voices Speak on Community Food and Wellness
This year’s Delta Roots Festival was all about elevating youth voices. We invited Washington County students, ages
12–18, to participate in our Video Competition: "Youth Voices Speak on Community Food and Wellness."
Students were encouraged to create a short video (3–5 minutes) highlighting how wellness or food shows up in their communities—whether it’s through movement, gardening, cooking, or creative ways of staying healthy. Cash prizes
were to be awarded, and all submissions would have been celebrated at a reception and shared online.
Sadly the first attempt at garnering participation did not work. On a second attempt we were able to initiate partnerships with two local organizations. While things appeared to be progressing, challenges within the organizations prevented their participation at the end.
We were very disappointed, but not discouraged. Stuff happens and these are very challenging times in so many ways. We’ve not given up on the Delta Roots Festival and will be back in 2026.
Delta Roots Festival in Photos
Past Festivals
The first Delta Roots Festival was held in 2022, and included everything from Zumba and sound healing to kickboxing and restorative yoga. Here are a few photos from the event.
Delta Roots Festival 2024
Past Festivals
In 2024, Third Ward Zen reimagined the Delta Roots Festival as a virtual series: “Food, Movement, Yoga: A Liberation Praxis for Community Wellness.” This three-part conversation explored how food, movement, and mindfulness can transform community health in the Mississippi Delta and beyond. Each session is available on our Table & Plate Project Delta Podcast.
Delta Roots Festival 2023
Past Festivals
In 2023, Delta Roots expanded into a year-round series with three quarterly events held in September, December, and
May—each continuing our commitment to community wellness through food, movement, and mindfulness.
For our May 2023 Delta Roots Festival quarterly event, we hosted a cooking demonstration as part of our Table &
Plate Project Delta Podcast.
Eat Well to Live Well Cooking Demonstration
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Part I: Growing Food in Community
A discussion with nonprofit leaders working with youth to grow food and build self-reliance.
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Part II: Movement as a Wellness Model
A powerful conversation on using dance and body movement as a pathway to personal and collective well-being.
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Part III: Youth, Yoga, and Resiliency
A look at how yoga and creativity can support youth empowerment and healing in community spaces.
Get Involved
Are you interested in participating in a future Delta Roots Festival? Want to be a sponsor?