Mind Body Spirit Festival Birmingham 2026: A Magical Wellbeing Day Out for Families

Wellness festivals are usually associated with yoga classes, meditation, holistic therapies and opportunities for adults to step away from everyday life for a few hours. But what happens when children are invited into that experience too?

This November, the Mind Body Spirit Festival Birmingham is introducing a new family-focused space designed to make the festival more accessible to parents travelling with children. Taking place at the NEC Birmingham from 13–15 November 2026, the festival's new Enchanted Area will offer mindfulness, storytelling, creativity and gentle wellbeing experiences that parents, guardians and children can explore together.

For families looking for an alternative day out in Birmingham – or those curious about introducing children to mindfulness and relaxation in a playful rather than prescriptive way – it adds an interesting new dimension to one of the UK's established wellbeing events.

What is the Mind Body Spirit Festival Birmingham?

The Mind Body Spirit Festival brings together speakers, authors, therapists, practitioners, independent wellbeing brands and spiritual teachers for three days of talks, workshops, experiences and shopping.

Visitors can dip into everything from meditation and sound baths to holistic health discussions, spiritual practices and complementary wellbeing experiences. Rather than requiring visitors to follow a particular programme, the event is designed to be explored, making it possible to build a day around the subjects and experiences that interest you.

For 2026, that experience is being expanded to include younger visitors.

Introducing the new Enchanted Area for families

The Enchanted Area is the first dedicated child-friendly space of its kind at the Birmingham festival and has been created for children ranging from babies through to early teenagers, accompanied by their parents or guardians.

Instead of separating children's entertainment from the adult festival, the idea is for families to participate together.

The programme includes a series of accessible 30-minute sessions, alongside longer drop-in activities running during the day. The shorter format has been deliberately chosen to make the experiences manageable for younger visitors while giving families an opportunity to try something new without committing to a lengthy workshop.

Activities are expected to include tapping techniques for children, storytelling, mindfulness, breathing and relaxation sessions with a mermaid-inspired twist, crafts and fairy hair sparkles.

Behind the sparkle is a relatively simple idea: creating opportunities for children and adults to slow down and spend some focused time together.

Mindfulness without making it feel like homework

One of the interesting aspects of the new area is its playful approach to children's wellbeing.

Teaching a young child that they should "manage their stress" or practise mindfulness is unlikely to inspire much enthusiasm. Introduce breathing through an underwater adventure, however, or explore emotions through storytelling and imagination, and the same ideas can become much more approachable.

The Enchanted Area aims to provide parents with simple experiences they can share with their children rather than positioning wellbeing as another lesson to be learnt.

That may be particularly valuable for parents who are already interested in meditation, mindfulness or holistic wellbeing but have wondered how to introduce some of those practices at home.

Meet Karen Kay, the Fairy Whisperer

The new family area has been curated by Karen Kay, known as the Fairy Whisperer, a Hay House author and oracle card creator who has been organising fairy-themed events and festivals since the mid-1990s.

As a mother herself, Kay says she wanted the space to recognise the importance of providing meaningful activities for children while parents explore the wider festival.

“Children are natural mystics. They already know how to wonder, imagine and feel deeply,” she says. “The Enchanted Area is a place where parents can remember that too, and where families can share a little magic together.”

It is this combination of imagination and wellbeing that gives the area its character. Children don't necessarily need to understand the language of meditation, emotional regulation or mindful breathing to experience a few minutes of stillness, creativity or connection.

What else can you experience at Mind Body Spirit Festival Birmingham?

Parents visiting with older children, couples, friends and solo visitors can also explore the wider festival programme.

The Oasis of Sound will host sound baths and meditation sessions designed around relaxation and taking time out from the stimulation of the main festival.

At Haus of Wisdom, visitors can discover conversations, workshops and storytelling exploring different aspects of the human experience, while the Midlife Wisdom Stage focuses on women's holistic health, menopause and wellbeing after 50.

There will also be aura readings and one-to-one sessions with psychics for visitors interested in the festival's more spiritual side, alongside a bookshop offering opportunities to meet authors and attend signings.

The Ceremony Space will host guided experiences including cacao ceremonies and other rituals focused on reflection and connection.

Visitors who enjoy discovering independent wellbeing brands can also explore the Wellbeing Market, where more than 125 vendors are expected to showcase products, therapies and wellness ideas.

A different kind of family day out in Birmingham

Birmingham has no shortage of attractions for families, but the Mind Body Spirit Festival offers something rather different from the traditional museum, theme park or shopping trip.

A visit could combine children's activities with time exploring wellbeing practices, listening to speakers, discovering independent brands and perhaps trying something you have never experienced before.

The NEC's location also makes the festival relatively straightforward to reach for visitors travelling from outside Birmingham, opening it up as a potential day trip or weekend wellbeing break rather than an event solely for local families.

For parents who already attend wellness events, the Enchanted Area may also remove one of the practical barriers to attending: finding something meaningful for children to experience alongside them.

Mind Body Spirit Festival Birmingham 2026: dates, tickets and location

When: Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November 2026

Where: National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Pendigo Way, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT

Opening times: Friday 13 November, 11am–6pm; Saturday 14 November, 10am–5pm; Sunday 15 November, 10am–5pm.

Tickets: Tickets start from £18 plus booking fees.

Tickets and the latest festival information are available from the Mind Body Spirit Festival Birmingham website, with festival tickets available to book online.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mind Body Spirit Festival Birmingham suitable for children?

For 2026, the festival is introducing its new Enchanted Area specifically for families. It is designed for children from babies through to early teens attending with a parent or guardian.

What can children do at the Mind Body Spirit Festival?

Activities planned for the Enchanted Area include children's tapping techniques, storytelling, mindfulness and breathing activities, crafts and fairy hair sparkles. Sessions are designed for adults and children to experience together.

When is Mind Body Spirit Festival Birmingham 2026?

The festival takes place from Friday 13 November to Sunday 15 November 2026 at the NEC Birmingham.

How much are Mind Body Spirit Festival tickets?

Tickets start from £18 plus booking fees. Visitors should check the official festival website for current ticket availability, family admission arrangements and any additional charges for individual experiences.

Where is the Mind Body Spirit Festival held?

The Birmingham festival takes place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Pendigo Way, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT.

Wellbeing Magazine Travel

Wellbeing travel doesn't always have to mean flying to a retreat on the other side of the world. Sometimes it can be a day spent discovering a different way to slow down, connect and experience something new.

The arrival of the Enchanted Area makes the 2026 Mind Body Spirit Festival particularly interesting for families. Whether you arrive for mindfulness and sound baths, want to browse independent wellbeing brands, are curious about spirituality or simply fancy a rather more magical family day out, Birmingham's long-running wellbeing festival offers plenty to explore.

Mind Body Spirit Festival Birmingham takes place at the NEC from 13–15 November 2026. Visit the official festival website for the latest programme and book tickets here.