Three women who lost a combined 36 stone have hosted the UK's first weight loss festival, Barifest. The event took place at Field Good Bar in Bath, bringing together 75 attendees at various stages of their weight loss journeys.
A Festival Born from Shared Experience
Pamela Phillips, 42, from Wolverhampton, met Donna Musson, 43, and Anastasia Morris at an event after undergoing bariatric surgery. They bonded over their health journeys but felt there were few opportunities for those who had gone through similar experiences to connect. So they decided to create Barifest, originally intended as a bariatric surgery festival but later expanded to include any weight loss method—surgical, weight loss jabs, or dieting.
After eight months of planning, the festival took place in May 2026. It featured crafting, karaoke, exercise classes, live music, wellness workshops, and 'boozy bingo'. Headline DJ Shortee Blitz, who has worked with Jay-Z and Mariah Carey, performed, and plastic surgeons offered on-site consultations. Standard tickets cost £60 per day.
Success and Future Plans
The event proved a success, with the trio inundated with queries about repeating it in 2027. Pamela, who lost 9st 7lbs after gastric sleeve surgery in 2023, said: "It can be very lonely having weight loss surgery and then going back to reality with your normal friends. Barifest was about bringing people together as a family, without embarrassment or shame."
Anastasia, from Llanymynech, Wales, dropped from 32st to 14st 9lbs after gastric bypass surgery in August 2023. Donna slimmed from 20st 7lbs to 11st 6lbs after gastric sleeve surgery in May 2021. They agreed major weight loss journeys could feel lonely and difficult for others to understand.
Inclusive Amenities
The festival offered smaller food portions, strengthened beds and chairs, and larger toilets to ensure accessibility for all sizes. Donna said: "There were people who only just had their surgery. Even me, Pam, and Anastasia are at different stages—I'm at the end after skin removal, Pam is looking into it, and Anastasia is still losing weight." Anastasia added: "It was so uplifting—nobody was judging loose skin. If you've always been skinny, you don't think about whether chairs and beds fit, but we truly understand."
The trio plan to make Barifest an annual event, with the next one scheduled for 2027.
