The inaugural Field Day offered an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, right in the middle of the city. On March 7, guests were welcomed into the transformed arena at Live Oak at Cedar Lodge following a relaxing, picturesque drive down the tree-canopied driveway. 

“There were a lot of people who didn’t even know that was back there, right in the heart of that Rouge, and so it was really special that they opened it up to us,” says Field Day co-founder Shannon Blackstone Smith. She and Erin Nugent share a passion for promoting local agriculture and wellness. The two have traveled extensively and decided to bring the wellness and farm-centric events they have experienced in other cities and countries to the Baton Rouge community. 

“We were lucky to have some institutional health partners come on as our sponsors, and I think that speaks very loudly to where we are in the community, and the interest people have in their overall health and wellness,” Smith says. “We hope that we can continue to better BR.”

The Field Day Experience

Once in the arena at Live Oak at Cedar Lodge, fresh, cold-pressed juices from Raw Republic and iced coffee, alongside vegan peanut butter bars from Magpie Cafe, awaited. Towering floral arrangements, palm trees and plenty of photo ops surrounded the burlap floor in the center, where yoga mats, resistance bands and Baton Rouge’s own Spiro Stretching Tools were thoughtfully placed for each guest.

A sprawling communal table anchored the event design, covered in greenery and citrus that Nugent foraged from the property shortly after sunrise, complemented seamlessly by place settings by Gourmet Girls. There, all of the guests would gather for a farm-to-table lunch. But that was last on the itinerary.

A Day Designed to Flow

First, the morning began with a one-mile walking tour of the farm, which served as the perfect warm-up for the morning’s slate of classes by Evolve Studio, Preservation Yoga and Trifecta Sports Therapy. After the pilates-style workout, breathwork session and stretching routine, it was time to recharge and refuel. Recoop Wellness and Trifecta Sports Therapy provided a sampling of recovery products and services, including Trifecta’s newest recovery class, which uses vibration boards and Recoop’s PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) mats for a decadently rejuvenating experience. 

Following the workout and recovery, it was time to refuel with a grazing table built by the food board experts at BLDG 5 and a sampling of honey and cheeses from Bayou Sarah Farms. And for the soul, a speaker panel moderated by Michael Hackett offered insights on healthy living by Branch Basics co-founders Kelly Love and Allison Evans, Vibrant Market founder Lauren Trostorff Robinson and Green Living Holistic Health and Therapy founder Katie Green. 

The gathering culminated in a farm-to-table lunch prepared by Heriloom Cuisine featuring fresh delicacies from Feliciana Creamery, Pearl River Pastures, Bayou Sarah Farms, Maggie’s Mushrooms, Fullness Farms and wine sourced from Italy by Antonio Molesini. 

“Propping up all of these wellness, fitness and health-minded people is good for our community,” Nugent says. “[The participating vendors] really are so genuine in wanting to help people feel their best. And so we’re very grateful to be able to give them a platform,” Smith adds.

Learn more about Field Day and be among the first to know about the next event by following @fielddaybr on Instagram.