Now that we are at the halfway mark of 2024, it might just be time for a factory reset. We may be long overdue for a little R&R, what with the stress of work and all. Enter Wellness Festival Singapore (WFS).
If you’re in desperate need of a mental and physical reset—but don’t want to spend a fortune flying overseas—WFS is where you need to be. This year’s edition of WFS will take place from 21 June to 21 July islandwide, promising participants and visitors a jam-packed four weeks of activities, workshops and community-building classes.
And while physical activity may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of wellness, the WFS supports holistic wellbeing. The various offerings throughout the month-long festival advocate for wellness across three major pillars—Fitness, Lifestyle and Emotional & Mental Wellness. It’s not always about sweating it out at the gym; a big part of wellness is about having a well-balanced lifestyle. This is a lesson I took years to truly comprehend: it’s about going further and longer, not going fast.
This time, why not take the chance to slow things down? Take the time to understand your personal journey towards all-round wellness. What is it that sparks joy? Are there things you do that add to your stress, instead of taking away? And how can we work to improve those things?
Ahead, we pick out six of the best programmes that you don’t want to miss at this year’s WFS.
Glow Festival By Prudential
Running from 6–21 July, Glow Festival By Prudential, aka Asia’s largest wellness festival, is the capstone event of this year’s WFS. In collaboration with Lululemon, Glow Festival invites you to refresh and rejuvenate your senses this July. With over 70 classes and six different wellness zones across the Event Plaza at Marina Bay Sands, Glow Festival will connect your mind, body and spirit in a series of expert-led classes and bespoke experiences.
Plus, the event is led by Akin Akman and Dr Chelsea Jackson Roberts. Akman is reputed as the world’s best cycle coach, so for all you spin-loving girls, catch him at one of his cycle sessions throughout the festival. Dr Chelsea’s experience is grounded more in the slow art of yoga, where she is trained and celebrated as a Peloton yoga instructor and practitioner. In addition to the headlining wellness hosts, Glow Festival is also tapping into the rich vein of local trainers and wellness experts, including coaches from gyms such as Yoga Movement, CrossFit gym Mobilus, and barre studio WeBarre.
More information on Glow Festival By Prudential can be found here.
Hot And Cold Contrast Therapy With COMO Shambhala Singapore
One of the hottest (and coolest!) emerging trends in the realm of wellness that has come onto the scene in recent years is contrast therapy. The recovery process starts by submerging a part of or your entire body in a hot bath or sauna for a few minutes. A chilling ice bath follows straightaway, and the process is repeated continuously, stringing together short bursts of hot and cold therapy. This procedure—courtesy of the extreme temperatures—soothes your muscle, facilitates recovery and promotes better blood circulation. At COMO Shambhala, experience this in a small group, where you will be guided through the proper breathing techniques, and be immersed in the science behind the efficacy of contrast therapy.
More information on this activity can be found here.
From Farm To Plate: A Mindful Eating Experience
Despite its obvious links to our overall wellbeing, food and nutrition are often overlooked when it comes to conversations about mental, emotional and physical health. While the notion of ‘you are what you eat’ has largely fallen out of the wellness sphere in recent years for promoting an unhealthy approach to food, therein still lies some truth. What we eat can not only have major effects on our mood and energy levels, the type of food we consume can also have massive repercussions on our hormone levels. With this mindful eating experience, you can dive into the science behind proper nutrition and cultivating intentional eating habits whilst learning firsthand about sustainable agriculture in Singapore.
More information on this activity can be found here.
Self-Love Workshop With MTM Labo
If you’ve been looking for a sign to start taking care of yourself, consider this to be it. MTM Labo, the skincare label grounded in Japanese origins, is conducting a series of self-love workshops for WFS. At these workshops, experience a wellness awakening through self-care. MTM Labo’s experts will teach you how to perform relaxing Facial Gua Sha and acupressure to the face and delicate eye area. In addition to receiving an in-depth skin analysis, you will also be able to take home a white jade massager, to bring your wellness journey into your everyday routine.
More information on this activity can be found here.
Exclusive Night Ritual With Jo Malone London
In wellness, rest and recovery are just as important as keeping active. After all, how will we go the distance if our bodies can’t handle it? With Jo Malone London, you can learn how to unwind and replenish your energy stores with their night ritual workshop. Paired with fragrances and the Vitamin E collection from Jo Malone, the sensorial experience will teach you how to pamper yourself after a long hard day. Sip on hot tea and let your worries melt away as you indulge in this soothing session, before heading home with a special door gift, courtesy of Jo Malone.
More information on this activity can be found here.
Run With Puma Nitro Run Club
When it comes to physical activity, running is probably most people’s least favourite form of exercise. Who can blame them? Running may seem boring and ineffective for some, while others may find it too tiring or taxing on the body. The Puma Nitro Run Club aims to debunk different negative connotations associated with the sport. The social run club invites all runners, of different fitness and experience levels, to join them on a series of curated workshops at WFS.
To finally feel the fabled ‘Runner’s High’, go for the Mindful Running session that aims to ease runners into a slow, intentional flow. Otherwise, you can also choose to improve on your running form, to run faster, longer and with more power by participating in the Running Technique Workshop. This workshop focuses more on the intricacies of the sport, so you can prevent unnecessary injuries in your pursuit of wellness.
More information on this activity can be found here.
Find out more about the Wellness Festival Singapore here.
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