From gospel yoga to full-body workouts, Arlington residents can attend Epic Fit Fest 2025, a weekend experience filled with fitness and wellness from Friday to Sunday at the Loews Arlington Hotel.
Black Girl Fit is hosting its second annual Epic Fit Fest, which invites attendees of all ethnicities and sizes to work out in a safe and comfortable environment, co-founder Kristi Andrew said.
Attendees can choose from one of three passes, ranging from a one-day pass to a three-day VIP option that includes exclusive amenities, according to the event website. Andrew said attendees aren't limited to a certain schedule or workouts.
Guests can build their own experience by choosing when to arrive and what classes to take, allowing them to train in a way that fits their lifestyle.
“We actually do curated fitness events, so we're not just trying to do workouts. We’re trying to do fun workouts in fun and different places to make people enjoy exactly what they're doing,” Andrew said.
This year's event is expected to feature 16 instructors, who will lead a variety of classes across different fitness zones, including cycling, yoga, strength training, glutes, dance and high-intensity interval training, according to the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau website.
Alongside the workouts, more than 60 vendors will showcase health and wellness products. The event will also feature Epic Conversations, a mental health panel with New York Times best-selling author Sarah Jakes Roberts.
As a pharmacist, Andrew said she believes mental health is as important as physical well-being and wanted to set aside time to have a conversation about mental health and the role it plays in a person's health journey.
“We’ve been focusing on health as a whole, and that of course starts with the fitness journey, but of course it also encompasses being internally healthy,” she said. “Not just physically, but spiritually and mentally.”
Andrew and LaTosha Duffey, a former UTA basketball player, co-founded Black Girl Fit and created Epic Fit Fest to combat the health disparities people of color face, which Andrew said often stem from lack of access and inclusion.
“We wanted a place where people feel comfortable letting their hair down, maybe not necessarily being a size two, maybe being able to take their wig off and to basically have no barriers to get in the way for their health,” she said.
Last year's event drew 500 participants as a one-day event at The Epic Grand Lawn in Grand Prairie, Texas. With the expansion to three days and a new venue, attendance is expected to more than double.
“I think people had a really good time last year. They came out and understood and saw what we’re about and we’re doing. Also, this year it’s a lot more,” she said.
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