The new year brings with it a new line-up of festivals, and now with the rise of wellness and healthy eating 2019 offers a huge range of fitness festivals to choose from. Forget warm cans of Red Stripe and raving ‘till dawn: these events will leave you feeling refreshed via superfood smoothies and disco yoga. From an open-water swimming festival in Hyde Park to a huge three-day yoga festival in central London, these are the best fitness and wellbeing festivals in London.
Yoga fans will be in their element at this huge celebration of all things zen. The line up for 2019 is still being finalised, but if last year’s event is anything to go by, expect oodles of specialist workshops and inspiring talks by yogis, filmmakers and practitioners from around the world.
The Hallam Conference Centre, 44 Hallam St, W1W 6JJ. Oct 12-13. Ticket prices tbc. Find out more here.
Photograph: Jake Laub
Aerial yoga, acroyoga and hooping will all be featured at 2018’s Wanderlust – a touring festival which hosts wellness-focused shindigs across the globe. This year’s event is still being finalised, but we expect a line-up of workshops and an artisan market as well as their fun 5k run.
Dates, venue and tickets tbc. Find out more here.
Photograph: Balance Yoga
Early bird tickets are now on sale for Balance Festival, where visitors can test out a huge range of boutique fitness studios before they sign up. Healthy food also features heavily here, with a live demo kitchen hosting a line-up of top chefs and a pop-up street food market.
The Old Truman Brewery, 15 Hanbury St, E1 6QR. May 10-12. £22.50. Find out more here.
Hackney Festival of Fitness
After a sell-out event last year, once again Hackney will be transformed into a hub of sports and exercise when the Hackney Festival of Fitness rolls up in 2019. The Hackney Half is at the heart of this festival, with workout sessions and a pop-up market completing the bill.
Hackney Marshes, Homerton Rd, E9 5PF. May 17-19. Two-day ticket + Hackney Half (May 19), £64. Find out more here.
Relative veterans in the yoga world, it’s been more than a decade since the Om Yoga Show first came on to the scene, with a range of workshops suitable for everyone from die-hard yoga fans to absolute beginners. The huge three-day event also features stalls selling lifestyle accessories, healthy food and jewellery.
Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY. Oct 18-20. Ticket prices tbc. Find out more here.
Nutritionist Dale Pinnock and global yogi Michael James Wong are among the highlights of the Live Well London festival, taking place in the boutique studios at Old Billingsgate. Visitors can expect live cookery demos, fitness classes and talks at the three-day fest.
Old Billingsgate, 1 Old Billingsgate Walk, EC3R 6DX. Mar 1-3. £35 (one day), £60 (two days). Find out more here.
No wellbeing stone is left unturned at this four-day fest, which promises transformational workshops on all kinds of life issues – from relationship lessons to life hacks. Meanwhile, their line-up of alternative exhibitors will offer psychic and aura readings, tantra, crystals and clothing.
Olympia London, Hammersmith Rd, W14 8UX. May 24-27. Day tickets from £13. Find out more here.
The UK’s largest cycling exhibition rolls in for another show this year. It’ll be stocked with the latest gear to test out, three days of bike-focused talks, and head-to-head racing on the StreetVelodrome circuit. Little peddlers can also try out bikes for free at the children’s Hope Academy Test Track – a fun mini course of seesaws and raised planks.
ExCel, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, E16 1XL. Mar 29-31. Day ticket £16. Find out more here.
Swim Serpentine is a huge one-day open water swimming event where thousands of swimmers can sign up to a race that suits their ability. Choose from a half, one or two-mile swim, or attend one of the talks by speakers such as award-winning author Jenny Landreth and world-class athlete Beth French.
The Serpentine, Hyde Park. Sep 21. Entry opens at the end of Jan. Find out more here.
Attracting everyone from professional cyclists to newbies, Prudential RideLondon puts on a banquet of bicycle events every year. Ballot entry is now live for races, which include the famous Brompton World Championship and the family-friendly RideLondon Freecycle. Visitors can also get a free cycling fix at the Cycling Show, where major cycling brands will be showing off their latest wares from August 1-3 at ExCel.
Various locations. Aug 3-4. Ballot entry now open. Find out more here.
