HARLEM, NY — From aerial arts to yoga, boxing and soul line dancing, the Harlem Wellness Festival is returning to Marcus Garvey Park later this month with a full day of free classes and wellness activities celebrating Harlem’s growing fitness community.
The annual festival will take place on May 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Marcus Garvey Park, bringing together more than 40 Harlem-based gyms, spas, wellness studios and health organizations for a day focused on movement, self-care and community connection.
Organizers told Patch the event was created to spotlight the neighborhood’s expanding network of minority- and women-owned wellness businesses, many of which came together during the pandemic to support one another while gyms and studios remained closed.
Festival-goers can participate in free classes throughout the day across two fitness zones featuring yoga, meditation, strength training, barre, kettlebells, cardio workouts and dance sessions.
A Wellness Row will also offer one-on-one demonstrations, beauty services, acupuncture, plant-based nutrition and other experiences.
Participating fitness and wellness partners include Harlem Cycle, Harlem Yoga Studio, Harlem Pilates, Harlem Kettlebell Club, Harlem Chi Community Acupuncture, Hula Hoop Fit, Levitate Studios, Meditation in Harlem, Method Collective, VITAL Climbing Gym and dozens of other local businesses.
The MSK Ralph Lauren Center will also provide walk-in mammograms throughout the festival at its clinic across from the park at 124th Street and Madison Avenue. Mammogram participants must be age 40 or older and bring identification, organizers said.
The festival’s class schedule includes:
Harlem Yoga Studio yoga at 11 a.m. Indigenous fitness with Rokmil Indigenous Fitness at 11 a.m. Meditation at noon Hula Hoop and Double Dutch aerobics at 12:30 p.m. Conditioning classes with The Harlem Method at 2 p.m. A Soul Line Dance Party with Harlem Smooth Movers at 2:30 p.m.
Healthy food vendors including Uptown Veg, The Juicery and Kraves Vegan Foods will also be on-site.
The Harlem Wellness Festival is organized by Uptown Grand Central and TBo Harlem, with support from MSK Ralph Lauren Center, NYC Small Business Services and Tren’ness Woods-Black.
Participants can register for free classes through Eventbrite.