Bid to hold Europe's biggest outdoor fitness and wellness event in Belfast - yoga, pilates, diet and exercise weekender Wellfest could bring up to 12,000 to city's Boucher Road playing fields

Wellfest takes place very year in the grounds of Dublin’s Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

Taking in outdoor exercise classes, dietary and mental wellbeing workshops, skincare tips, yoga and pilates sessions, and special family-friendly events aimed at young kids, it regularly sees 12,000 people attending over two days.

Celebrating its tenth birthday this year, the team behind it now want to bring it north of the border.

They’re going before Belfast City Council tonight (14th) to ask for permission to stage it in Boucher Road Playing Fields over the last weekend in May.

Council documents describe Wellfest as “an alcohol-free festival that is designed to inspire those who attend to better their own health and wellbeing”.

Add council officials: “The event brings together leading names in health, fitness and wellness to deliver live workouts, educational talks and create memories that will inspire those who attend for the long term.”

If it’s allowed to go ahead, the event is scheduled to last from 9am to 6.30pm on the final Saturday and Sunday of May – a bank holiday weekend.

Prices will range between £47 for a singe day and £75 for the weekend.

Last year’s event in Dublin brought high-profile people from the fitness and wellbeing worlds to lead classes, including workout guru Joe Wicks and TV fitness instructor Mr Motivator.

Statistics submitted to the council by the Wellfest team state that last year’s event was targeted at people aged 25 to 50; three-quarters of attendees were women, though each ticket purchased allows up to two children under the age of 12 in for free.

The organisers say Belfast is “the ideal location for the expansion of WellFest”.

“This festival is good for the whole community, promoting healthy living and increased physical activity for the whole family to enjoy,” they state in documents supporting their Boucher bid.

“[The festival will encourage] attendees and the local community to get better connected through promoting cycling and utilising Belfast's new and improved transport links.

"Our market research has proven to us that there is appetite for more WellFest events.

"Being an alcohol-free health, fitness and wellness festival designed to inspire attendees long after they leave the event, we are confident WellFest would succeed in Belfast.”