Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Zen.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been creating experiences for over 15 years now, though I don’t think I would have called it that when I first started. In the beginning, it was much simpler – I just wanted to bring people together. I was drawn to community, to spaces where people could feel something real, and to the kind of connection that doesn’t happen in everyday life.
That desire turned into my first event, and over time, that grew into what is now PlayThink Festival – a space rooted in play, creativity, and what I often call “nervous system regulation disguised as joy.” From there, I founded Kentucky Yoga Festival, which leans more into intentional practice, healing, and grounded connection, and later The Goddexx Gathering, which centers the divine feminine, sisterhood, and deep inner work.
What’s guided me through all of it is a belief that people are craving spaces where they can be fully themselves – where growth, healing, and joy can exist at the same time. Over the years, I’ve learned that creating those spaces isn’t just about the programming or the logistics – it’s about the container. It’s about trust, safety, leadership, and being willing to evolve.
Today, my work has expanded beyond just producing festivals. Through Waypoint Experiences, I help others bring their own retreats, workshops, and events to life. It feels like a natural next step – taking everything I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) and helping others build aligned, meaningful experiences of their own.
Looking back, what started as a simple desire to gather has become a life’s work rooted in community, nature, and transformation. And honestly, I still feel like I’m just getting started.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a smooth road – and I actually think that’s part of why the work is what it is today.
There have been very real logistical and financial challenges. Festivals are complex, high-risk undertakings, and there were years where I was figuring things out in real time – budgets, ticketing platforms, cash flow, weather, and the unpredictable nature of live events. I’ve had moments where a single storm or unexpected expense could completely shift the trajectory of an event.
Beyond logistics, there have been leadership challenges. Managing teams, navigating misalignment, making hard decisions, and learning how to hold a clear vision while still staying open to feedback – it’s something you really only learn by doing. There were times I had to make calls that not everyone agreed with, and learning how to stand in those decisions while still caring deeply about people was a big growth edge.
On a personal level, there’s been a lot of internal work too. Burnout, self-doubt, and questioning whether I could sustain this long-term – especially while raising a child and building something that doesn’t follow a traditional path. There were seasons where I felt stretched thin and had to reevaluate how I was showing up, not just as a producer, but as a human.
And then there’s the emotional side of creating spaces centered around transformation. When you’re holding environments where people are opening, healing, and sometimes facing hard things, you also have to learn how to hold boundaries, create safety, and take responsibility for the container in a deeper way.
All of that said, every challenge has refined the work. It’s made me more intentional, more grounded, and more committed to creating experiences that are not just beautiful – but truly supportive, sustainable, and aligned.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Waypoint Experiences?
My work lives at the intersection of community, nature, and transformation.
Through my festivals – PlayThink Festival, Kentucky Yoga Festival, and The Goddexx Gathering – I create spaces where people can step out of their everyday lives and reconnect with themselves, with others, and with something deeper. Each event has its own personality, but they all share a common thread: they are intentionally designed to be immersive, welcoming, and rooted in real human connection.
What I specialize in is creating what I often call “containers” – experiences that are thoughtfully held from start to finish. It’s not just about booking talent or filling a schedule. It’s about how people feel when they arrive, how they move through the space, and what they leave with. There’s a lot of attention given to the unseen layers – flow, safety, leadership, and creating an environment where people can both soften and expand.
I think what sets my work apart is that it’s not built around scale for the sake of scale. It’s built around intention. Even as these events have grown, I’ve been very mindful about maintaining intimacy, accessibility, and a sense of belonging. They’re not spaces where you get lost in the crowd – they’re spaces where you’re invited to be seen.
I’m also really proud that these events are multi-generational and inclusive. Families, first-time attendees, seasoned practitioners – there’s room for all of it. It’s important to me that people don’t feel like they have to be a certain way to belong.
Beyond the festivals, I now support others in bringing their own visions to life through Waypoint Experiences. I work with individuals who feel called to create retreats, workshops, or community-based offerings but don’t know where to start – or want to do it in a way that feels aligned and sustainable. That work has become just as meaningful, because it’s about empowering more people to gather and lead in their own communities.
Brand-wise, what I’m most proud of is that this has all been built with a strong sense of integrity. The events have evolved, but the core values – education, nature, and community – have stayed consistent. I’ve never wanted to create something that just looks good from the outside. It’s always been about creating something that feels real when you’re inside of it.
If there’s one thing I’d want readers to know, it’s that these aren’t just events you attend – they’re experiences you become part of. And that sense of belonging, of being welcomed exactly as you are, is at the heart of everything I create.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think we’re going to see a major return to real, in-person experiences over the next 5 to 10 years, not because technology is going away, but because it’s becoming impossible to ignore what it’s replacing.
We’re living in a time where so much of our connection is filtered through screens. While technology has made things more accessible and efficient, it has also created a kind of quiet disconnection from our bodies, from nature, and from each other. I think people are starting to feel that more and more.
Because of that, I believe the demand for real experiences is only going to grow. Not just events for entertainment, but spaces where people can actually feel something, where they can be present, connect face to face, move their bodies, and remember what it’s like to be human in a shared space.
At the same time, I think we will see a shift away from massive, high production events toward more intentional, curated gatherings. People are becoming more discerning. They are not just asking “What’s happening?” They are asking “How will this impact me? Will I feel safe? Will I belong here?”
There is also going to be a greater emphasis on integration and responsibility. As more people seek out transformational experiences, there is a growing need for leaders who understand how to hold those spaces ethically, with clear boundaries, grounded facilitation, and an awareness that these experiences can have a real impact on people’s lives.
I also think the future of this industry will be more decentralized. Instead of a few large, dominant events, we will see more locally rooted gatherings, smaller communities creating their own spaces, led by people who are deeply connected to their regions and their people.
For me, all of this points back to something simple. People are craving what is real. Real connection. Real presence. Real experiences.
And in a world that is becoming increasingly digital, that kind of authenticity is not just valuable, it is essential.
Pricing:
- Full Event Pass: $300
- Tier 2: $250
Contact Info:
- Website: https://playthinkfestival.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/playthinkfest
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/playthinkfest
