New additions to the line-up for WellFest — Europe’s largest outdoor health, fitness and wellness festival — were announced today, including podcaster, author and mental health advocate Blindboy, who is taking part in the festival for the first time.
The outdoor festival is returning to the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham (RHK) on the weekend of the 6th and 7th of May 2023, with a limited number of final release tickets now on sale.
Blindboy will be among more than 150 international and Irish health and wellness experts appearing over the weekend, presenting talks, demonstrations and masterclasses in fitness, Pilates, yoga, mental health, mindfulness, healthy food and lots more, across 15 stages and in different themed areas across the festival site.
New Additions to the 2023 Line-Up
The new additions to the WellFest line-up announced today are joining major names previously announced including Joe Wicks MBE, who is returning for the fifth time, outdoors enthusiast and food creator Roz Purcell, bestselling cookery writer and chef Rachel Allen, performance psychologist Gerry Hussey and personal trainer Maeve Madden, who is returning this year with her popular Queens Don’t Quit (QDQ) stage for the full weekend
Commenting on her return to WellFest, Maeve Madden said: “I am delighted to be bringing Queens Don’t Quit back to WellFest for a second year.
We were blown away with the support from everyone who was there last time and can’t wait to be back in Dublin; bigger than before.
I’ll be joined by my ‘Queen Coaches’ and some special guests over the weekend. Attendees can expect everything from QDQ popular HIIT Party workouts – Combat Queens, Dance Club fun and Wonder Woman strength! In the words of Shania, ‘Let’s Go Girls!’”
The line-up additions announced today include:
- Podcaster and mental health advocate Blindboy, who will be in conversation with British psychologist, author and nutrition expert Kimberley Wilson on the WellMind stage.
- Financial fitness expert Paul Merriman, from the popular ‘Ask Paul’ money advice brand, will be leading a talk on financial wellness, also on the WellMind stage.
- The UK-based, NHS gynaecologist and vaginal health expert Dr Anita Mitra, a.k.a. the Gynae Geek, will be appearing on the WellTalk stage to discuss all things women’s health.
- New additions for the WellFood stage include Irish chef Nico Reynolds of Lil Portie Caribbean Kitchen and presenter of the RTÉ series ‘All Fired Up’ and ‘Grill Seeker’. Creator of the award-winning Fused brand Fiona Uyema will also be delivering a cooking demo on the WellFood stage, plus she will be appearing in the WellVillage marketplace. Chef and cookbook author Sinead Delahunty will be leading both a cooking demo on the WellFood stage and a yoga flow in the WellYoga area.
- For fans of high-intensity workouts, a variety of exercise and dance workshops will be taking place in the WellFit area hosted by Hayley Madigan, Steph Elswood, Lottie Daisy and Aimee Conroy. Festival highlight POUND – a cardio jam session inspired by drumming – is returning to the Main Stage on both days of the festival. WellFesters will also be able to join in an F45 Track class, which is a 45-minute outdoor training session, combining circuit and HIIT-style training.
- Barretstown is returning as the WellKids area partner and their camp leaders will be giving dance classes for children. Family-friendly WellFest will also feature yoga, animal movement, Zumba, face painting and other activities in the WellKids area. Child development expert and founder of CogniKids’s Ollwyn Moran will be leading a class on baby massage on the WellKids stage, as well as leading a cooking demo on the WellFood stage.
WellFest organisers noted that with the addition of Blindboy to the line-up, the festival’s limited remaining tickets are likely to sell out quickly.
Commenting today, Helena Ryan, co-owner of WellFest, said: “We are delighted to be hosting WellFest for the eight time this May. Almost 10,000 people attended the festival last year and we’re delighted to announce more exciting Irish and international names for the line-up, representing fitness of all types, with lots for families with children, too, in an expanded WellKids area.
We’re especially excited to be welcoming Blindboy to WellFest for the first time for what’s going to be an unmissable conversation with festival favourite Kimberley Wilson on the theme of brain and mental health.
With his name added to the bill, the remaining tickets are likely to sell-out, so we are encouraging anyone who is interested in coming to get theirs now!”
Commenting on the line-up additions announced today, Brian McDermott, Director of FUEL, new WellFest co-owner, said:
“As May draws closer, we’re delighted to be announcing even more fantastic additions to the line-up for people to enjoy their best WellFest experience yet! We’ve made a huge effort to create a festival with something for everyone. We’re thrilled to be welcoming POUND back this year, whose high-energy workouts help create WellFest’s famously upbeat atmosphere. People can look forward to coming together to enjoy a fantastic variety of innovative activities, no matter what stage they’re at on their fitness journey, led by some of Ireland’s and the world’s leading experts in fitness, wellness and health.”
Ticket Details
Weekend tickets for WellFest are on sale now for €85 + booking fee and day tickets are available for €60 + booking fee. Children aged 12 and under are free, with two children aged 12 and under allowed per ticket.
Further information on the full line-up and tickets is available at www.wellfest.ie.