The rise of wellness festivals: why midlife women are swapping hangovers for wellbeing
Image credit: The Big Retreat
A growing number of women are now mixing up their festival formulas. Weekends are no longer about drinking copious amounts of prosecco and staying up all night partying. Instead, women are now looking for weekends that offer movement, connection and recovery.
Wellness festivals and retreats are booming, tapping into our growing appetite for experiences that do more than just entertain us. Think fitness classes, cold-water dips, expert-led talks, restorative yoga sessions, not to mention great food, live music and a chance to meet other women who are navigating the same stage of life.
It’s a shift that makes sense when you consider how little time many women actually get to devote to themselves. Research from The Midlife Festival found that 70 per cent of women over 40 spend less than five hours a week on their own needs, self-care and hobbies. Shocking, really.
Recent trends in events suggest we’re increasingly looking for experiences that combine our interests and needs. Eventbrite’s 2026 research found 69 per cent of people wanted to attend more events combining different worlds or interests, with wellness and energy among the top combinations highlighted.
So, if you fancy swapping the prosecco hangover for a weekend that leaves you feeling inspired and recharged, here are three wellness festivals for women you can still book before the year is out.
The celebrity day festival: Happy Place Festival
Tatton Park, Cheshire
5–6 September
Created by broadcaster and author Fearne Cotton, this is probably the UK's best-known wellbeing festival. It describes itself as the ‘pick-and-mix’ of wellbeing and is split into areas. At the centre stage, you’ll find group activities, dancing and live music, a talking stage for showcasing experts including Megan McKenna, Tom Read Wilson and Louise Thompson, an arts stage for poetry and readings, a happy hub where you can discover activities like line dancing and hula hooping, plus a children’s corner and a shopping village. The festival has a warm, supportive atmosphere that is said to be particularly appealing for women who are attending solo.
Best for: Beginners, self-care, mental wellbeing and a girls' day out.
Full day admission, £49.50.
The adults-only weekend festival: The Big Retreat
Abbots Ripton, Cambridgeshire
11–13 September
A feel-good, adults-only weekend away where you choose your pace. There’s no pressure and no timetables. Whether you’re looking for fitness or relaxation, meditation or storytelling, there’s everything from yoga, Pilates and strength sessions to wild swimming, lakeside spa treatments, cooking demonstrations and live music well into the night. Speakers include Ruby Wax, Professor Joyce Harper and Anna Whitehouse (Mother Pukka), covering everything from mental health and parenting to resilience and sleep. You can also camp or glamp, making it ideal for a wellness weekend away with friends.
Best for: A proper reset.
Weekend tickets, £269; day tickets, £120.
The boutique woodland festival: Girls Who Hike Club
Leith Hill, Surrey
24–25 October
Hidden away in six acres of woodland, this one-night stay is described as ‘beautiful hikes and meaningful connections with like-minded women.’ To celebrate the Girls Who Hike Club’s first anniversary, there are two days of guided hikes through the countryside, with overnight accommodation in cosy shepherd’s huts and an evening spent around the fire pit. There’s also a mindset and manifestation experience with Isabella Panousis, a group tarot session, guided burning ceremony, meditation, breathwork and visualisation. Spaces are limited for this one, so best to get in quick.
Best for: Those looking for meaningful connections and conversations and reconnecting with nature.
Tickets, £175 (+ booking fee)
