Jake Romphf
Residents can get in touch with their inner clogger, quilter or choir singer at Hobbyfest on Saturday, Aug. 25.
The 28th annual festival allows the public to browse through booths and participate in demonstrations organized by local clubs and organizations at the Strangway Centre and adjacent Germain Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For the Sarnia branch of Taoist Tai Chi, Hobbyfest is a way to invite others to heal, said instructor Jan Herbert.
Stretching and shifting the body through 108 constant moves is healthy for the mind, body and spirit, she said.
“You see physical movement on the outside, but more important is what’s happening inside your body.”
The low-intensity exercises of Tai Chi works the body’s connective tissues and is a type of “moving meditation,” she explained.
“You’re getting much deeper into your body,” she said. “The outside world drifts away.”
Herbert said people have found Tai Chi helps with a wide range of illnesses and ailments when nothing else seemed to work.
“We would love to see people come to start Tai Chi before they start having problems, but often it’s the problems they have that bring them,” she said.
The one-day festival, she added, increases awareness about the club’s classes for beginners and regular members in Camlachie, Corunna, Petrolia and Sarnia.
About 30 different groups are expected to attend this year, said Rachel Veilleux, Sarnia’s recreation coordinator.
“It’s a place to get inspiration if you’re at a time in your life where you want to join a hobby.”
In addition to hands-on demonstrations and displays, musical groups including the Bluewater Chordsmen and Seaway Sounds Sweet Adeline Chorus will perform, and the Rotary Club of Sarnia is hosting a barbecue.
“And everything is all in one place,” Veilleux said.