Singer/songwriter Jewel and local grocery mega-giant Kroger are once again bringing their Wellness Experience to Cincinnati.
The Grammy-nominated singer co-founded the event in 2018 as the "Wellness Your Way Festival," a self-described "life-altering weekend experience to kick-start your journey to a healthy lifestyle.”
Last year's event went virtual in light of COVID-19 and coincided with World Mental Health Day, prompting Kroger to create The Wellness Experience digital platform to complement the in-person event and offer wellness resources for the "whole human."
Now that pandemic restrictions have been lifted, the experience is bringing back its fest component.
This year's Wellness Experience will take place Aug. 20-21 outdoors at The Banks and will include "live music, celebrity-led workouts and cooking demonstrations, mental wellness talks, beauty demonstrations, panel discussions, a food expo and family-friendly activities," per a release.
“The events of the last year have put a significant spotlight on the importance of overall health,” says Colleen Lindholz, President of Kroger Health, in the release. “It is more important than ever to foster empathy and open dialogue around our well-being, including physical, mental and emotional health."
The events themselves are free to attend and guests can get a wristband for food samples by either donating one non-perishable Kroger brand, Simple Truth or Private Selection item or paying $5. RSVP at eventbrite.com.
"We need uplifting music, positive messages and wellness now more than ever," Jewel says. "For me, it’s been a dream to offer wellness to everyone for free."
The Wellness Experience kicks off on Friday night with a free concert featuring Cincinnati's Blessid Union of Souls and Quinn XCII.
Also on Friday will be the Opening Act Competition, where unsigned artists compete in front of a live panel to open Saturday's community concert.
Throughout the weekend, there will also be a "Food As Medicine Expo," with samples, cooking demos and expert advice to " empower better decision-making in the kitchen and disease prevention." And the Freestore Foodbank will be accepting donations both days.
Jewel's Inspiring Children Foundation benefits from the event and helped make tickets free. The mission of the nonprofit, as described in a release, is to "(empower) children struggling with financial hardship, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation by giving them the ultimate environment to survive then thrive at the highest levels."
For more information, visit thewellness-experience.com.
