Body-mind fitness and wellness professionals should note the growing trend of wellness festivals occurring throughout the nation. For example, in Jackson, Wyoming; Sun Valley, Idaho; Snowmass Village, Colorado; and Mammoth Lakes, California, wellness festivals are now popular annual events, according to an article in The New York Times (August 3, 2007). Festival activities typically include health and nutrition workshops, educational lectures and motivational speakers, as well as fitness experiences such as nature hikes, outdoor cycling and outdoor yoga, all in a resort setting that takes advantage of the inspiration offered by nature’s beauty.

Marcia Craighead, executive director of the Teton Wellness Institute, said that festivals like hers [in Jackson, Wyoming] seek workshop leaders and speakers who have a balance of traditional and alternative views and can back up their claims with research. “There’s less of the woo-woo,” she said. “We really want it to be usable information.”

For more information, see www.nytimes.com.