Line-ups include community, connection, mindfulness, new faces and big, deep breaths.
Throughout the summer, hordes of people decamp to festivals across the UK for a few days of live music, day drinking and occasionally, a token yoga class. But if the high-energy thrum and hedonism of the traditional British festival isn’t quite your cup of tea, there are alternatives.
Whether you’re renouncing party culture altogether or simply tempering it with a more restorative weekend, the UK hosts a plethora of wellness festivals and one-off events. Many take place in picturesque and appropriately peaceful locations, and some are even hosted by established names in the health and wellbeing space.
Expect reiki, yoga and Pilates sessions, freshly made smoothies and plant-forward food, workshops, guided walks, wild swimming and ambient soundscapes.
Raby Reset at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens, Durham
When: 11 April, 10.30am
Cost: £25 per person
Hosted at County Durham’s medieval heritage site, Raby Castle, Park and Gardens, the Raby Reset is a day of practical activities to guide attendees towards a mental, emotional and physical reset. Over the course of the day, holistic counsellor Lucy Pringle will be guiding the group through a schedule of activities that explore resilience, self-compassion, gratitude, mindset shifts and emotional regulation. The aim here is to provide everyone with practical tools they can take home and apply to daily life, so throughout the day Lucy will also work in gentle meditation, reiki, journalling and affirmation challenges.
Understanding the Menopause webinar
When: 19 May, 12pm-1pm
Cost: free
No matter how much information there is out there, navigating the menopause can be confusing and overwhelming, which is why The Menopause Exchange’s is hosting the free online webinar Understanding the Menopause. From symptoms and treatment advice to self-help tips and nutrition, the hour-long session will cover generation information on the menopause to help women understand what’s going on in their bodies. But they’re not just for women, the Menopause Exchange founder Norma Goldman often tailors detailed parts of the seminar toward men to help them better understand their partners, wives, friends, employees and colleagues.
Read more: Spring and summer in London: the unmissable wellness events we’re bookmarking in our calendars
The Big Retreat, Cambridge and Pembrokeshire
When: Pembrokeshire 22-25 May, Cambridgeshire 11-13 September
Cost: from £269 per person, plus added extras
Wellness festivals are often considered a bit woo-woo, but The Big Retreat aims to circumvent those charges by genuinely focusing on mental health and designing its schedule of events around actual research and outcomes. More than 300 curated experiences encompassing music, talks and creative workshops alongside fitness, yoga and outdoor adventure activities. As usual, it’ll take place at its spiritual home at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park with big names on the line-up such as DJ Fat Tony, Rebecca Ferguson and Catrin Finch. September brings a second instalment of the music-, movement- and creativity-driven festival to Cambridgeshire.
Read more: Inside London’s latest clubbing craze: the arts and crafts socials
View this post on Instagram
The Kent Wellness Festival
When: 13-14 June
Cost: £27.80 for one day, £52.17 for the weekend
Returning to Detling Showground for its seventh year, The Kent Wellness Festival brings together exhibitors from across the wellness industry, including fitness, nutrition, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, spirituality and self-improvement. A must visit both for anyone seeking inspiration and for those interested in the business and contact-making side of the industry, the two-day programme of workshops, talks, practical classes, readings and treatments covers a wide range of insights and experiences — all in one place.
Exmouth Wellness Festival
When: 14 June
Cost: £55 per person
Devon’s first full-day wellness festival is about coming together with likeminded people in the name of building a happier and healthier future. You’ll hear from instructors and health practitioners on everything from wellness and fitness to nutrition advice. Browse wellness stalls, take part in yoga, Pilates, meditation and enjoy live music and watch expert speakers in conversation on the main stage. The idea behind Exmouth Wellness Festival is that it’s an energising experience that you leave feeling inspired to prioritise your wellbeing in new ways — plus, it’s a lovely day by the seaside in Devon.
Read more: Get your sweat on: the best new gyms and exercise classes in London for 2026
View this post on Instagram
Happy Place, London and Cheshire
When: London 11-12 July, Cheshire 5-6 September
How much: From £49.50 for a day and £88 for a weekend pass
Now in its sixth year, Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place festival comprises two days of yoga, shopping, performances, live music, art, movement and food. At Old Deer Park, its London location, the line-up includes Ruby Wax, Olivia Bowen, Matt Haig, Tulisa and Jordan Stephens. In September, Cheshire’s Tatton Park will see a live podcast from Celebs Go Dating’s Tom Read Wilson, as well as talks from the likes of Donna Ashworth and Jono Lancaster, with more still to be announced.
Read more: 5 Hyrox alternatives: fitness competitions to sign up to in 2026
View this post on Instagram
Wellness in the Wild, Suffolk
When: 7-9 August
Cost: from £55 for one day and from £140 for the weekend, plus added extras
Named one of the top five wellness festivals in the UK by The Independent, Wellness in the Wild runs annually in Suffolk comprising three days of balance-restoring activities. Making the most of the bucolic Suffolk setting, you’ll connect with friends old and new over yoga, trail runs, inspiring talks, workshops, live music, sound baths and breathwork sessions. A woodland spa, wood-fired hot tubs, saunas, massages and bespoke holistic therapies add a little luxury to the weekend.
Feature image: Pexels
