A Recipe for Health
Every September, downtown Cincinnati transforms into a hub of healthy living when the Kroger Wellness Festival takes over Fifth Street. Known as America’s largest health and wellness festival, this free, family-friendly event is more than just a gathering. It is an invitation for the community to explore, celebrate, and commit to healthier lifestyles in ways that are interactive, educational, and fun.
A Two-Day Celebration of Health
The 2025 Kroger Wellness Festival takes place Friday, September 26, and Saturday, September 27, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. The festival stretches from Main Street to Columbia Parkway, filling the heart of Cincinnati with opportunities to learn, move, and connect. Kroger has designed the festival to be completely free, ensuring accessibility for families, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone curious about wellness.
Six Pillars of Wellness
The programming is structured around six themes that showcase a holistic view of well-being:
Balance focuses on nutrition and joyful eating.
Move inspires physical activity and fitness.
Breathe highlights relaxation and mindfulness.
Care emphasizes beauty and self-care.
Uplift supports emotional and spiritual growth.
Play encourages children and families to build healthy habits together.
This balanced framework ensures that no matter your age or interest, there is something meaningful to experience.
Experiences for Every Age
Across two days, more than 200 activities create an immersive landscape of wellness. Visitors can participate in fitness classes, cooking demonstrations, interactive workshops, and hands-on wellness sessions. Panels featuring experts provide insights into nutrition, mental health, and daily practices that make a long-term difference. The event is also deeply rooted in Kroger Health’s “food as medicine” philosophy, showing attendees how everyday choices around meals can powerfully impact overall health.
Free Concerts That Rock
The festival doubles as a live music destination, bringing in nationally recognized acts for free evening concerts. On Friday, The All-American Rejects take the stage, while Saturday night closes with Third Eye Blind. These performances draw crowds that might otherwise attend a typical music festival, blending entertainment with health-focused programming in a way that is unique to Cincinnati.
Celebrity Inspiration
Kroger adds another layer of excitement by bringing in celebrities and athletes who embody wellness in different ways. Actor Rob Lowe, celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli, MLB icon Alex Rodriguez, Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez, Olympic sprinter Allyson Felix, comedian Joel McHale, and MMA fighter Dustin Poirier headline the 2025 roster. Their participation ranges from cooking demos and fitness activations to motivational panels, connecting their personal experiences with practical advice for attendees.
Community Engagement at its Core
The Kroger Wellness Festival is more than entertainment. It is a showcase of what happens when a company leverages its resources to benefit a community directly. By making the event free and accessible, Kroger removes barriers that often limit people’s ability to engage with expert health information, live demonstrations, and wellness products. For families, it is a chance to learn together. For individuals, it is an opportunity to pick up actionable tips and inspiration. For the city, it is an economic and cultural driver that positions Cincinnati as a national leader in wellness programming.
The Broader Impact
Health festivals are not new, but the Kroger Wellness Festival sets itself apart by scale, diversity of offerings, and commitment to accessibility. It shows how wellness can be reframed from a personal journey to a collective celebration. By welcoming both local residents and out-of-town visitors, the event turns downtown Cincinnati into a laboratory of healthier living for two days each year. The partnerships with major brands like P&G, vitaminwater, BODYARMOR, and PopCorners extend the reach of the message, creating an experience that is educational and enjoyable without being overwhelming.
Cincinnati has long been proud of its ability to blend tradition with innovation, and this annual festival is another example of how the city and Kroger work together to create something that resonates far beyond the region.