How do you plan a birthday party for someone who is no longer here? Om’s family and close friends had already gathered for a small, traditional memorial. OmFest was meant to be something different.
Early in designing the website, Matt encouraged us to move away from anything that felt like a traditional memorial and lean into the idea of a festival. He wanted OmFest to offer people a little relief from grieving, rather than another reminder of their loss. While his feedback was specifically about the website, I carried that intention into the entire event.
This was an event for Om, not by Om. We weren’t trying to be him, and we didn’t want the day to center on his absence. We wanted to celebrate his curiosity, the things he loved, and the connections he made: ideas, music, food, photography, books, and little discoveries throughout the venue. A day people could explore at their own pace.
Of course, there was still room for emotion. Many of the people attending had known and loved Om for years. No one needed to be told how to feel. But we could create an experience that gave people reasons to smile, reconnect, discover something new, and raise a glass to him.
The toast came right after the flash talks: 3-4 minute personal stories from people who knew Om. They brought moments of silence, laughter, and tears. Then Matt led the toast alongside Om’s sister and brother. Together, the room chanted Om, a sacred sound in Indian traditions, often described as the sound of creation, and also his name. Everyone raised a glass, and the music kicked off.
The goal wasn’t to forget that Om was gone. It was to celebrate everything he brought into the world, and to throw the kind of 60th birthday party we think he would have loved.
Post 16 of 60 · Making OmFest
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