A new wellness event series raised its first funds for Niagara Health Foundation last weekend, starting small but backed by an organizer who previously helped raise $1 million for Niagara hospitals.
Spirit of Niagara ran two linked events May 16 at Château des Charmes on York Road in St. Davids and Inniskillin Estate Winery. A daytime luxury wellness retreat brought about 30 guests at $549 a ticket.
An evening dinner in Inniskillin’s historic cellar, priced at $295 per person, sent proceeds to Niagara Health Foundation, which funds equipment, patient care and research at Niagara Health hospitals across the region.
Organizer Hala Bissada said the donation will be modest given the crowd size, but plans to keep building the event series up.
“Every little bit helps,” she said, “and it’s a chance for guests to meet new people and become ambassadors for the cause.”
Bissada, a 24-year event planning veteran relocating to Niagara-on-the-Lake this spring, ran her first Spirit of Niagara event earlier this year. She said she supported Shine On, a fundraiser for West Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation and McNally House Hospice, which she said raised roughly $1 million.
“Unbelievable they raised a million dollars,” she said. “This was a first-time event. It was so magical to be part of that.”
Charitable giving is part of every Spirit of Niagara event, she said. “Anything we do at Spirit of Niagara is about giving back.”
The daytime retreat ran two and a half hours under a tent at Château des Charmes, with rain arriving later in the afternoon.
Yoga, breathwork, meditation and a sound bath made up the core programs, led by Ashtanga teachers David Robson and Jelena Vesić, breathwork guide Dane Osorio and sound healer Luciana Santaguida.
Guitarist Gianluca Mauro performed throughout. Workshops and a private winery tour followed, with lunch catered by Vintage Hotels.
Bissada said the sound bath drew strong emotional responses.
“A lot of emotion here today,” said Bissada. “I saw a lot of people crying through the sound bath and things like that because it’s a big release.”
The evening dinner at Inniskillin seated up to 75 guests and opened with a sparkling icewine reception. Three courses each incorporated icewine, with guests invited to identify the varietal in each dish.
Live music accompanied the dinner. A Niagara Health Foundation representative attended to speak about where the proceeds go. Charitable tax receipts are available to Canadian residents.
Bissada said she has been visiting the Niagara region for years and believes it is underappreciated.
“I don’t think people know how special Niagara is — it’s in their own backyard and they don’t know.”
An international event based in Niagara-on-the-Lake is in early talks for 2027, though Bissada said she has not signed anything yet. A Halloween concept called the Spook Easy is also in development.
