The question: What are attendees paying for, besides talks, workshops, and workouts? (And the social media caché of a grid post featuring bare feet and the shimmering Ionian Sea, of course.) For starters, meaningful access, says Hoess of Eudemonia: “People who follow these celebrity health experts on podcasts or wherever else can’t interact with them. [At the festival], these folks roam the halls and interact with attendees. It’s very much an opportunity to ask questions in person.”
Alma founder Bestall echoes that sentiment: “The beauty of Alma is that you’re in such an intimate setting—you can sit next to Christian [Drapeau, a leading stem cell researcher,] at lunch and ask him questions.” Another draw: That meal might include dishes like Balearic red prawn al ajillo with quinoa, avocado, and espelette pepper, or grilled pumpkin with tahini, watercress, and pomegranate seeds.
In addition to the talks, activities, and meals, attendees receive guidance through the increasingly noisy discourse on wellness. Dorian May, a New York-based writer and content creator, attended Eudemonia and had an overwhelmingly positive experience: “There’s so much information coming at us from every source, I think it’s important to find trusted resources to help guide the decisions for how you treat your body.”
Festivals offer a cross-pollination of ideas in a unique, ephemeral community. Eudemonia, for example, brings together groups you wouldn’t normally see in the same space. “Medical doctors mixing with the biohackers mixing with the yoga slash wellness set—everyone fit together very nicely,” said Hoess.
Festivals offer an intangible that modern professionals crave. “I think people want more connection,” said Bestall. “When you’re in London, Paris, or New York, you’re constantly on your phone. If you get out of your head and out of your comfort zone and do something new, it’s a pretty cool experience. The takeaway from that is far more important than you would find on a two-day weekend—that lasting reconnection.”
In the end, think of it like this: Many wellness festivals offer an opportunity to take both the blue pill and the red pill. It’s an escape to a mindful place where you can cultivate awareness of how your lifestyle impacts your lifespan, while letting those same worries slip away as you settle into blissful creature comforts in far-flung destinations.