A Full Day of Death Education
Theme:
A Collective Exploration of Death, Mortality and Loss
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
An Evening with
Evidential Medium & Author
Julie Conrad
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Program at a Glance
~ Free coffee, tea and snacks throughout the day
~ Vendors with ample breaks to engage
~ 4.5 CEUs for $20
Morning Program
9:00 am Registration begins
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10:00 - 10:30 The Death Plan: A Gift of Clarity, Love and Peace
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10:30-11:15 Panel: How Death Doulas Serve at the End-of-Life
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11:15-12:00 Donate Your Body to Nature: The Healing Power of Green Burial
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Early Afternoon Program
1:00-1:45 Navigating Grief & Loss: How to Show Up for Yourselves and Others​
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1:45-2:30 Panel: Helping Young Children Cope with Loss & Grief
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2:30-3:00 Break & Visit Vendors
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Late Afternoon Program
3:00-3:45 Addicted to Youth and Immortality: America’s Struggle to Integrate Death into Life
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3:45-4:30 Tending the Threshold: A Death Vigil Demonstration ​
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4:30 - 5:00 Q&A and Visit Vendors
Evening Program
6:15 pm Registration begins
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7:00-7:15 Introduction & Invocation
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7:15-8:30 Beyond the Final Breath: Connecting with Loved Ones Across the Veil with Julie Conrad
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8:30-9:00 Book Signing & Final Visit with Vendor Tables
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
The Tri-State region's only dedicated natural burial ground.
Heidi Eversole, MA, LPCC
(513) 613-4726
Jen Blalock & Shelby Mundy
Meet Your Festival Hosts Jen Blalock and Shelby Mundy.
They met in 2023 while Jen was the death doula for her husband, Nick, who died of cancer in August of 2024. Nick’s death experience was extraordinary – it was difficult, sad, beautiful and energetically potent. It’s as if Nick was teaching us how the death passage could serve to educate people about their own eventual death and how to do it with minimal fear.
Shelby was deeply impacted by her beloved husband’s experience and she became a death doula. She and her three young children are actively grieving Nick’s death and she will be sharing her experiences.
Jen and Shelby’s friendship has bonded in the midst of doing deathcare work. They have combined their talents to bring you this unique and heartfelt festival experience.
About the Festival
The Before I Die Festival Cincinnati is inspired by festivals of the same name (there's no trademark) in other US cities. We’re bringing our unique version to Cincinnati — shaped through the lens of death doulas, grief workers, mental health professionals, and advocates for green burial.
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Our vision is simple but profound: to open a space where fear of death softens, wholeness grows, and honest conversation helps us live with greater clarity and love.
Our intention is to offer a Before I Die Festival each year and to expand our themes and topics as we get to know our audience. We would like to offer events throughout the year to provide a steady source of death education in our region.
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We invite you to join us and be part of our growing community.