Organized by local non-profit group Red Stick Peacemakers, the sixth annual Peace Fest united local artists, musicians and yogis alike on Saturday.

Red Stick Peacemakers’ President Beth Zagurski and friends started Peace Fest in 2010 to celebrate the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. Since then the festival has only grown. It now features a live music stage, yoga workshops, a healing sanctuary and several local food and art vendors.

“The goal is for people to experience different types of healing exercise in a very nonthreatening festival atmosphere,” Zagurski said.

Originally the festival was intended to take place outdoors at the Riverfront Plaza in downtown Baton Rouge. It was later moved inside the Belle of Baton Rouge Hotel due to the threat of inclement weather.

What sets Peace Fest apart from other festivals are its abbreviated yoga classes and healing exercises led by local instructors. Attendees were encouraged to visit the Mindful Movement stage, coordinated by local yoga teacher Dana Guillory.

 “It’s a place for people to experience different styles of movement offered around Baton Rouge,” Guillory said. “We have 10 great local instructors offering their time and talents to lead the participants in 20-minute demos of their specialty.”

Participants tried their hands at many different styles of yoga including traditional Vinyasa, Sun Salutations, Buti, Yin and partner yoga. Zagurski said she hoped to benefit those in attendance both physically and mentally.

“There’s science behind yoga, particularly behind the breath work,” Zagurski said. “Navy seals use particular types of breath work in their training to help them focus and stay calm.”

A number of local artists and food vendors also attended Peace Fest. The event’s Vegan Village highlighted six food vendors offering vegan and vegetarian dishes, including one company that served what they dubbed “unicorn meat.”

“It’s a wheat-based meat substitute called seitan,” said Travis Hans of Southern Nutrition Products.

Hans calls the product “unicorn meat” to attract customers and convince them to try a sample. The first item on his menu was the Chopped BBQ Unicorn Sandwich.

Other local favorites included The Big Squeezy, Curry N Kabab and Treat Huggers Bake Shop. Meanwhile, local artisans surrounded Peace Fest’s center stage to sell everything from paintings to handmade clothing.

“We try to attract people that are recycling, upcycling and crafting original art,” Zagurski said.

Festival-goers enjoyed live music from local acts Pacifico, Neon Mountain and AF the Naysayer. Local performance artists from Airseekers and the Baton Rouge Fire Guild also took the main stage.

Despite the weather and change in location, Peace Fest attracted a sizable crowd on par with attendance in recent years, Zagurski said. Although admission to the festival was free, Red Stick Peacemakers accepted donations for further community outreach.

Zagurski said the organization actively works in communities that do not have access to holistic yoga therapies.

“It has benefitted me in so many different levels of my life,” she said. “I’m very passionate about sharing that with others.”