The Big Retreat: A Different Kind of Festival is Coming to Cambridgeshire this September
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A DIFFERENT KIND OF FESTIVAL IS COMING TO CAMBRIDGESHIRE AND OVER 80% OF PEOPLE SAY IT IMPROVED THEIR MENTAL WELLBEING
The Big Retreat brings its unique blend of wellbeing, live music, inspiring speakers, great food and feel-good experiences to Abbots Ripton this September. A festival that combines yoga, fitness, live music, inspiring speakers, great food and hundreds of feel-good experiences is coming to Cambridgeshire for the very first time.
The Big Retreat will take place at Abbots Ripton Estate from 11–13 September 2026, bringing together some of the UK's best-known names in wellbeing, food and entertainment for a weekend that's all about helping people switch off, try something new and simply enjoy themselves. It's not a yoga retreat. And it isn't a traditional music festival either.
Instead, The Big Retreat gives every guest the freedom to create their own weekend. Some people spend their days moving between yoga and fitness classes, while others lose themselves in inspiring talks, arts and crafts, cookery demonstrations, Kitchen Conversations or lakeside relaxation. Others simply come for the atmosphere, the music and the chance to spend time outdoors with friends and family.
As the day unfolds, so does the programme. Guests can enjoy yoga, Pilates, fitness, meditation, breathwork, gong baths, wild swimming, arts and crafts, singing, dancing and creative workshops before the festival comes alive with live music each evening.
The speaker programme features Ruby Wax, Anna Whitehouse, Dr Joshua Wolrich, Professor Joyce Harper, Anna Mathur, Gail Porter, Annalie Howling, Gareth Timms and Fell Foodie, covering everything from mental wellbeing and resilience to relationships, nutrition and living well.
Food also plays a central role, with Kwoklyn Wan, Dale Pinnock (The Medicinal Chef), Martyn Odell and Sarah Ann Mackin leading a programme of live demonstrations and Kitchen Conversations celebrating food that is both delicious and nourishing.
Evening entertainment includes performances from Youngr, ABBA Revival, DJ Mother Pukka, Hang Massive, Modern Biology, Blaine and Namiri, creating a fun relaxed festival atmosphere long after the daytime programme has finished. The Cambridgeshire launch follows another successful year for The Big Retreat in Pembrokeshire, where more than 4,000 people attended the festival earlier this year. Demand for next year's event has already been exceptional, with almost 2,000 people rebooking for the 2027 Pembrokeshire festival just weeks after this year's event.
The festival is also supported by independent research.
A study led by Professor Joyce Harper of UCL found that more than 80% of attendees reported an improvement in their mental wellbeing after attending The Big Retreat. Almost 80% said they left feeling happier, while many also reported improvements in their physical wellbeing.
Professor Harper said:
In today's society, where work-life balance is increasingly difficult and stress levels are high, events like The Big Retreat offer a valuable opportunity to reset. Over 80% of people in my study said their mental health improved from attending, with many also reporting physical benefits. The combination of movement, nature and connection played a key role in those outcomes."
Festival founder Amber Lort-Phillips said:
"People often ask me if The Big Retreat is a wellness festival or a music festival, but it's really neither – and both. We created it because life can feel incredibly busy, and everyone needs a chance to press pause every now and then.
Some people come for the yoga, others for the live music. Some spend the whole weekend listening to talks, while others discover a new hobby, meet new friends or simply enjoy spending time outdoors. There isn't a right way to do The Big Retreat. We just want people to leave feeling happier than when they arrived.
The response we've had in Pembrokeshire has been incredible, and we're so excited to bring that same relaxed, friendly and fun atmosphere to Cambridgeshire."
The Big Retreat has built its reputation around one simple philosophy: there's no single way to feel good.
Whether that's moving more, learning something new, listening to inspiring stories, dancing to live music, trying a different type of food or simply slowing down for a weekend, every guest is free to create the experience that's right for them
