Vivacity Wellness Festival reveals expanded programme as Dumfries prepares for a new celebration of health and wellbeing

Six immersive wellbeing zones, more than 50 experiences, expert talks, movement sessions, therapies, live music and a unique Dark Skies Experience finale will transform The Crichton Estate on Saturday 17 October

Dumfries and Galloway’s first large-scale health and wellbeing festival is gathering momentum, with Vivacity Wellness Festival set to bring an extensive programme of movement, mindfulness, recovery, creativity, health and community to The Crichton Estate on Saturday 17 October 2026.

Created by Tribe Fortune and Velocity Events Group, Vivacity has evolved into a full-day wellbeing experience featuring more than 50 sessions, activities and experiences across six dedicated zones, giving visitors the freedom to create their own perfect wellbeing day.

Sessions include yoga, pilates, Les Mills fitness classes, breathwork, sound baths, holistic therapies, sauna and cold plunge experiences, inspiring health talks and creative workshops.

The Festival is designed to offer something for everyone covering a wide range of interests and wellbeing goals. Visitors can move, learn, relax, recover, connect and discover new experiences and ways of looking after their mind and body.

The six festival zones include the Movement Zone, Talks & Learning Zone, Healing & Spa Zone, Contrast Therapy Zone, Wellness Market and Quiet Zone. The programme also includes outdoor activities such as archery and axe throwing, while the Wellness Market will showcase local makers, wellbeing businesses, natural products as well as healthy food and drink.

A major focus of the festival will be its programme of expert talks and panel discussions, addressing some of the most important issues in modern health and wellbeing. Menopause Matters, founded by Dr Heather Currie MBE, will lead the festival’s women’s health programme, with discussions exploring menopause, nutrition, mental health, lifestyle and movement. The programme will also explore men’s health, recovery, longevity and other topics designed to provide practical knowledge visitors can take away and apply to everyday life.

The experience will continue into the evening with a special festival finale featuring food, drinks, live music and a DJ, before culminating in a unique Dark Skies experience, subject to weather conditions.

The Crichton provides a particularly fitting setting for Vivacity. With a history deeply connected to health and wellbeing stretching back almost 200 years, the estate has played an important role in the development of mental health care and continues today as a centre for health, education, business and community. The festival aims to build on that heritage by bringing together the region’s wellbeing community in one unique location.

Kirsten Scott, founder of Tribe Fortune, said:
“Vivacity has grown into something really special. It brings together so many of the people, practitioners and experiences that make our local wellbeing community so vibrant, but gives them a much bigger stage. We want people to come for the activities, but leave having discovered something new, met new people and taken away ideas that genuinely improve their wellbeing.”

Matt Coulson, Director of Velocity Events Group, said:
“Vivacity is designed to be much more than a traditional wellness event. We are creating a complete day-long experience where people can choose their own journey – whether that means getting active, learning something new, experiencing recovery and relaxation, enjoying the market, connecting with others or simply taking some time for themselves. The combination of the programme, the setting and the community makes Vivacity a genuinely unique proposition.”

With its combination of movement, learning, recovery, creativity, community and entertainment, Vivacity aims to establish itself as a major annual celebration of health and wellbeing – while shining a spotlight on the people and organisations helping to make Dumfries and Galloway an increasingly important destination for wellbeing.

Vivacity Wellness Festival takes place on Saturday 17 October 2026 at The Crichton Estate, Dumfries. Tickets include access to more than 50 experiences, sessions and activities across the festival’s six wellbeing zones. Free parking is available on site.

Tickets can be purchased on EventBrite and for more information check out the website:  www.velocity-events.com/vivacity-wellness-festival

A proportion of every ticket sold will be donated to Dumfries and Galloway Mental Health Association, supporting the charity’s work across the region.