WANDERLUST FOR LIFE
When Kiwi festival guru Jonnie Halstead met his future wife Jacque in Wellington, she had only one condition for their relationship. “If you don’t do yoga, we can’t be together,” the US expat insisted.
The former yoga instructor’s request may seem extreme, but she had good reason – 15 years of working in the music industry with its party-hard excesses had left Christchurch local Jonnie unhealthy and burnt out, and his first marriage in tatters.
Charmed by the “dazzling” smile of Seattle-born Jacque – who has Egyptian and Swedish heritage – Jonnie agreed and gamely accepted her challenge, changing his lifestyle by eating healthy, drastically reducing
his alcohol intake and, yes, practising yoga.
Fast-forward eight years – through a surprise pregnancy, a proposal on the steps of the Louvre in Paris, a Waiheke wedding and three children – and it seems Jacque’s ultimatum has well and truly paid off, leading to an amazing new journey for the pair, both 37.
“We were brainstorming one day and we realised I’d been away so much touring with festivals while Jacque was struggling on her own with the kids,” explains Jonnie, who is the man behind such music festivals as Homegrowng
and Coromandel Gold. “We realised there must be a way to combine our skills.”
In 2013, Jonnie contacted the founders of US music and yoga festival Wanderlust, which started in 2009 in California. Within 24 hours, the couple were on their way to becoming the event’s first international partners, bringing its blend of good beats and vibes to NZ and Australia.
Jonnie marvels at the turns his life has taken since he made his promise to Jacque. The couple and their kids – Rocco, seven, Chevy, five, and three-year-old Anise – recently made the leap from Auckland to Sydney to cope with the demands of running the festival, which is due to hold a one-day event, Wanderlust 108, in Auckland on April 24. But while it’s their dream job, they admit juggling work with three kids is no picnic.
“It hasn’t been easy, but we have some rules that help,” tells Jacque. “No phones or devices until after the school drop-off.”
True to their eco-friendly beliefs, the couple take their kids to class by bicycle before heading to work alongside their small but dedicated team.
“It’s a great way to do the school run and it’s really cool seeing people smile and wave as they pass us in the street,” says Jonnie.
“Sometimes I have to kick myself to believe that we’re actually doing this. Being an entrepreneur meant living in the fast lane for a long time, but I’ve realised it’s possible to slow down and live in the moment.
“Working together has brought us closer than ever – it really is the perfect marriage of our two worlds.”