What began as a coffee meet-up among holistic wellness practitioners in Mossel Bay in 2024 has grown into a platform for small businesses, with the Iconic Wellness Expo now expanding to Plettenberg Bay for the first time.
The Iconic Wellness Expo will bring together holistic wellness practitioners, entrepreneurs, healers, creators and members of the public at the Piesang Valley Community Hall in Plettenberg Bay from November 7.
The two-day event marks the first time the expo will be hosted in another town.
Hermein Grobler, the founder of the event, hopes the expansion will strengthen the Garden Route’s wellness community, while creating opportunities for small businesses to connect with potential customers and collaborators.
“The expo was established to address the challenges faced by independent wellness practitioners who often work alone and have limited resources to market their products and services," Grobler said.
She added that the initial coffee meet-up created an opportunity for practitioners to connect, exchange ideas and explore ways of supporting one another.
By the third meet-up, the idea of establishing an expo had taken shape.
“The expo grew from a clear need for a shared platform where small, often one-person wellness and holistic businesses, could connect and grow."
Grobler said the initiative aimed to encourage dialogue, reduce prejudice and improve public understanding of the diverse skills within the Garden Route’s alternative and complementary therapies community.
“The two-day event will bring together 34 confirmed exhibitors, wellness practitioners and small businesses at the Piesang Valley Community Hall.
“The decision to bring the expo to Plettenberg Bay followed repeated requests from visitors attending the two most recent Mossel Bay events."
Grobler said while the expo continued to grow and the team she worked with had shown great dedication and effort, the journey had not been easy, with some of the members resigning, leaving her as the oldest member of the group.
Besides the 34 confirmed exhibitors, the upcoming event has five pending applications, nine masterclass facilitators and three Play Zone facilitators.
“Although participants from across the Garden Route are welcome, the organisers said they are prioritising strong local representation from Plettenberg Bay,” Grobler said.
The Plettenberg Bay Expo will feature wellness demonstrations, workshops, talks and interactive experiences designed to introduce visitors to different approaches to wellbeing.
The programme will include body therapies, mindful movement, storytelling, play-shops, a sauna and relaxation zone, as well as food and beverage offerings.
The expo will also host the start and finish of the Rainbow Fun Run, presented by The Golden Thread Events, while visitors will have an opportunity to engage directly with practitioners, ask questions, observe demonstrations and learn about the products and services available.