festival — Findings

Battered deep fried hot dogs, corn hole, and clowns.

Or fruit smoothies, sack races, and perky fit people.

I won’t condemn the All-American funnel cake, or the thrill of collapsable rollercoasters- but Rally HealthFest was my kind of Festival!

I arrived at Rally HealthFest and could feel the energy before I even found the registration check in table. The location in Justin Herman Plaza complemented the open, welcoming atmosphere- with palm trees, blue skies and sea gulls from the San Francisco pier serving as a backdrop to the family affair.

Core tenets of the HealthFest were clear from the beginning- with each participant receiving a rewards card to collect stickers earned from activities centered around four simple values: Move, Care, Eat, and Feel.

Utilizing everything from games, a dance stage, and high energy instructors- the “Move" options were robust. Kids did football drills, sack races, and had access to the classic bouncy house. Meanwhile spin classes, yoga, and boot camps were in session throughout the day.

At the main stage you could see (and hear) Boss Everline, Kevin Hart’s right hand trainer + philanthropist + entreprenuer, shouting through his microphone- encouraging mothers, fathers, sisters, and friends to move along with the dance instructor, or challenge themselves with one of his partner exercises. There on stage and popping in on some of the other activities, you could also find Kevin Hart himself, along with fellow celebrity ambassadors Melissa Menounos and Melvin Gordan.

If you wanted a break from the physical activity, you could write your future self a motivating note, play brain games, or share what you’re grateful for with colorful chalk on a big black board.

You could also replenish with smoothies! Recipes were named after the 3 celebrity ambassadors- giving the option of Maria’s Mojo, which incorporated green veggies, Melvin’s berrylicious Marvel, and Hart’s Hustle. I… had 2 Mojo’s.

Seeing everyone dancing, laughing, and learning- genuinely made my heart warm. With every activity there was a takeaway about nutrition, physical, mental, or emotional health- and not a strand of cotton candy in sight!

It’s all a part of Rally’s mission. I admittedly hadn’t heard of Rally until I saw Kevin Hart’s face behind one of their logos at a bus stop. But I’ve since learned that in addition to hosting events like the HealthFest, they have a platform of apps that help people make smarter decisions about their health- whether that be finding a doctor, comparing health plan benefits, or making positive changes to your daily routine like reducing stress.

Our culture has given joy and happiness such a strong tie to refined sugars, deep fryers, and sedentariness. Events like Rally HealthFest help unravel this association by bringing the same joy, except with movement, healthy nourishment, and thoughtfulness at the core. My hope is that the wellness trend continues to make strides in normalizing healthy habits across our communities.

I also hope that I’ll be able to contribute to the cause/

If anyone has used, or plans to use a product from the Rally suite- I’d love to hear your thoughts!

If you're in Atlanta looking for similar events, Rally has done events in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, but you can follow their site to look out for future initiatives.

You can also check out local events like Atlanta Streets Alive Festival coming up in April (streets closed off for hearth-healthy, family activity) and Gospel Fest in August (providing health screenings in addition to music and networking). Or do a simple Google search and find something you and your friends can enjoy :)