We have been working out how we can continue to keep a sense of community through the festival – despite it being online.

So we have collaborated with some of our favourite people to create a series of ‘live themed facilitated social meetings’ in a ‘virtual lounge’ – well ok, in a Zoom meeting!

In these events, you can see other people who are at the festival, make new friends and talk about the issues or ask the questions that you have about changing your drinking habits.

Please note that the Social Lounges are facilitated sessions to stimulate discussion only, and are not professional or medical advice. If you are worried about your alcohol intake in any way you must seek advice from a medical professional. 

FRIDAY 31st JULY

How to tell your friends/family you're going sober

How to tell your friends/family you're going sober

8am – 8.50am bst / 5pm – 5.50pm aest

Sammy is a 26 year old Aussie girl who gave up alcohol earlier this year to improve her mental health. Since becoming sober Sam couldn’t find a community that understood the complexities of Australian drinking culture so she decided to create one, Sober Mates. Today she wants to discuss how to tell people you are sober.
How to tell your friends/family you're going sober

Alcohol free drinks and ways to enjoy them at home

3pm – 3.50pm bst / 10am est / 7am pdt

Lateef from The Wagon Alcohol Free Pop-Up Bar talks through the different alcohol-free drinks and how to mix yourself a great drink at home. 
Selfcare in Sobriety, navigating your sober toolkit

Selfcare in Sobriety, navigating your sober toolkit

5pm – 5.50pm bst / 12pm edt / 9am pdt

Janey Lee Grace is the founder of The Sober Club and presenter on BBC Radio 2. In 2018 Janey decided to ditch the drink. She hosts the podcast Alcohol-Free Life, gave a TEDx talk Sobriety Rocks – Who Knew! She will facilitate a discussion about selfcare in Sobriety and tips and techniques for wellbeing
The Pleasure Swap

The Pleasure Swap

7pm – 7.50pm BST / 2pm EDT / 11am PDT

Stephanie Chivers runs Stop Drinking and Start Living. She is passionate about teaching people how to change their relationship with alcohol. She has 15 years of personal and professional experience to share with you and to facilitate a discussion about new pleasures!
 

Saturday 1st August

Your Sober Toolkit

Your Sober Toolkit

2am – 2.50am BST /11am – 11.50pm aest

Sammy is a 26 year old Aussie girl who gave up alcohol earlier this year to improve her mental health. Since becoming sober Sam couldn’t find a community that understood the complexities of Australian drinking culture so she decided to create one, Sober Mates. 
Parenting Sober

Parenting Sober

11am – 11.50pm BST / 8pm – 8.50pm aest

Love Sober was founded by Kate Baily and Mandy Manners. It provides online courses, coaching, workshops. Their first book Love Yourself Sober, A Self-Care Guide to Alcohol-Free Living for Busy Mothers will be published by Trigger Publishing in September. 

The Sober Sessions

4pm – 4.50pm BST / 11am – 11.50pm edt / 8am-8.50am pdt

The Sober Sessions is a collaboration between Alex and Lisa, The Sober Experiment, Simon Chapple, founder of Be Sober and author of The Sober Survival Guide, William Porter, author of Alcohol Explained and Alcohol Explained 2, and David Wilson, aka Sober Dave. We host weekly panel talks streamed live into Facebook.

Scottish Sober Chat

Scottish Sober Chat

6pm – 6.50pm BST / 2pm -2.50pm EDT / 11am – 11.50pm pdt

Hi, I am 2 and a half years sober and I run a microblog supporting people in sobriety, run sober meetups and coach and mentor people who want to look at their relationship with alcohol. Its my mission to remove the shame of admitting a problem with alcohol and to allow people to see that there is such a buzz in being sober! 

Breaking cycles and living positively in sobriety

Breaking cycles and living positively in sobriety

7pm – 7.50pm BST / 2pm -2.50pm EDT / 11am – 11.50pm pdt

Alex and Lisa from Sober Experiment have been best friends since high school and drank together for almost 30 years before ‘experimenting’ with a sober lifestyle that immediately became a permanent fixture. This is when life as best friends got interesting.

Sunday 2nd August

Finding your natural highs - what fills your cup

Finding your natural highs - what fills your cup

1am – 1.50am BST / 10am – 10.50am aest

Sammy is a 26 year old Aussie girl who gave up alcohol earlier this year to improve her mental health. Since becoming sober Sam couldn’t find a community that understood the complexities of Australian drinking culture so she decided to create one, Sober Mates. Today she wants to discuss how to tell people you are sober.
Finding your natural highs - what fills your cup

Your Sober Tool Kit

7am-7.50am BST / 4pm-4.50pm AEST / 11pm-11.50am PDT

Sammy is a 26 year old Aussie girl who gave up alcohol earlier this year to improve her mental health. Since becoming sober Sam couldn’t find a community that understood the complexities of Australian drinking culture so she decided to create one, Sober Mates.

Join Here
Dealing with sober shaming

Dealing with sober shaming

12pm – 12.50pm BST / 9pm – 9.50pm aest / 7am -7.50am edt

Alcohol Change UK is the charity behind Dry January. Dry January is the annual movement which through which millions of people change their relationship with alcohol, for January and beyond.

 
Hear from Alcohol Change UK CEO, Dr Richard Piper, on dealing with sober shaming and how we can begin to address this through cultural activism.
Join Here
Using Essential Oils to Support your Sobriety

Using Essential Oils to Support your Sobriety

2pm – 2.50pm bst / 11pm – 11.50pm aest / 9am – 9.50am edt

Fee and Emma first met on Instagram when writing about their sober journeys. Fee (@Soultipple) is three years sober and Emma (@emma_sobersonic) almost five. Their journey of wellness, self-love, connection, growth and empowerment keeps surprising them both, as it continually gets better and better! Join them for a nourishing session taking time for yourself. You’ll hear about sober friendships and the incredible gift of essential oils and how both can support your sobriety.
Using Essential Oils to Support your Sobriety

Quitting alcohol without willpower - tips, advice & tactics for success in sobriety

5pm – 5.50pm bst / 12pm – 12.50pm edt / 9am – 9.50am pdt

Simon Chapple is the founder of Be Sober and a Senior Sobriety Coach for This Naked Mind. He is also the author of The Sober Survival Guide and has made it his life mission to share the joys of alcohol-free living.