On a sunny weekend last September, over 200,000 people gathered in downtown Cincinnati to move, learn and grow together.
People of all ages and walks of life took part in fitness demos, danced to live music and tried a wide range of free “better” products from new and established brands.
The Kroger Wellness Festival, one of the largest free health and wellness festivals in the United States, returns September 27 and 28 and is bigger than ever. Anticipating even larger crowds this year, the popular festival is moving to a new location on Fifth Street in downtown Cincinnati.
Since 2022, Advantage Solutions has produced this family-friendly event on behalf of Kroger – one of over 500 special events organized by Advantage’s Experiential Services division each year, in addition to over 130,000 in-store demonstrations.
The Kroger Wellness Festival is by far the team’s biggest event.
“We are so proud to partner with Kroger on this remarkable and uplifting event,” said Lisa Haubner, senior vice president of customer experience at Advantage. “The whole mission of this festival is to help people live healthier lives. All are welcome and appreciated.”
The festival’s 200+ food and experience offerings focus on the Kroger Wellness Festival’s six pillars of transformation: balance, breathe, nurture, move, play and edify.
“We are excited to bring the Kroger Wellness Festival to a larger location and offer two full days of free, interactive health programs focused on fitness, mindfulness and overall well-being,” said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health.
The festival will certainly not be lacking in star-studded talent.
The Friday night concert, presented by Campbell’s, will feature Third Eye Blind and the Saturday concert, presented by GoGo squeeZ®, will feature Jason Derulo. Other celebrities scheduled to perform include three-time MVP and World Series champion Alex Rodriguez, Food Network star and James Beard Award-winning chef Maneet Chauhan, New York Times bestselling cookbook author Chrissy Teigen, philanthropist and MMA star Dustin Poirier and former WNBA player and registered dietitian Briana Butler, to name a few.
As the festival approaches, more celebrities will be announced. Importantly, festival-goers will also be able to take part in fitness activities, cooking demonstrations, workshops and panel discussions.
On the Saturday afternoon of the festival, Andrea Young of Advantage will take the stage to moderate a panel discussion on inclusion. Young, chief operating officer of Experiential Services, will speak with Laurie Hernandez, a trailblazing Latin American gymnast who won gold and silver medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The festival’s healthy lifestyle mission is consistent with Advantage’s core value of putting people first, Haubner said.
The festival also provides a significant boost to brands looking to raise awareness of healthier products. Last year’s festival saw more than 3 million product samples distributed.
According to a study by data analytics firm 84.51°, which tracked product sales 12 weeks before and 12 weeks after the event, shoppers were more motivated to purchase those products long after the festival.
For example, food samples at the festival saw an average 156% increase in unit sales per store in the 12 weeks following the event. There was also a significant increase in new customers and repeat purchases, according to the study, which focused on sales in the Greater Cincinnati area.
“When people have the opportunity to try new products, they are able to make healthier choices in the supermarket,” Haubner said. “And that can fundamentally change their lives.”
It’s clear that the Kroger Wellness Festival is also just a lot of fun.
For more information, visit the Kroger website.
