Runningman 2026 Returns as Social Wellness Booms

The annual festival returns September 18-20 as experiential fitness events claim more space on the wellness calendar

Runningman is returning to Kingston Downs for a fourth year, and the festival that turned a one-mile loop into a wellness destination is bringing more partners and the same massive sauna that drew lines all weekend in 2025.

The brainchild of FlowHaus co-founder and entrepreneur Jesse Itzler and Rhythm Health co-founder Devon Levesque, the three-day event is for wellness-engaged consumers who are 18 and older. 

The 2026 event will grow capacity and add partners across fitness, recovery, nutrition and lifestyle, the company said, building on a 2025 edition that drew more than 1,500 participants who collectively logged over 13,000 miles on the festival’s signature one-mile loop. 

The loop format, which puts first-timers, seasoned marathoners and walkers on the same course, has become Runningman’s calling card.

Programming will include guided workouts, yoga, recovery zones with cold plunges and an ice camp, red light therapy, brand activations and keynotes from Inky Johnson and Steffani LeFevour. Evenings shift into music, a format that last year culminated in a surprise Doug E. Fresh performance.

Runningman co-founder Devon Levesque described the event as more than a race, but a reset. 

“It’s where people come to push themselves physically, reconnect mentally and build meaningful relationships,” he said. “The growth we’ve seen is a reflection of how much people are looking for experiences that combine movement with connection.”

For brands, Runningman has become the ideal environment to dazzle with immersive activations. 

Last year’s event featured Othership’s 4,000-square-foot sauna outfitted with 12 wood-burning stoves, FjØrd cold plunges and a 110-foot Ferris wheel that biomarker testing company Rythm Health turned into a thrilling blood-testing experience. Promix rolled in with a juice bar, jousting arena and 100-foot obstacle course, while Sweet Honey Farm hosted goat yoga.

Tickets are now on sale and the event is eligible for Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) reimbursement via Flex. All three-day passes include a self-supported camping plot with the option to purchase an upgraded glamping tent experience.