PULSE – The City’s Largest FREE Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Fest Returns to Henry Maier Festival Park on Saturday, August 29

Image from Summerfest.

Milwaukee, WI (May 6, 2026) – Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. (MWF) is excited to announce the return of PULSE – A Health & Wellness Fest for All, powered by Aurora Health Care and MWF, with support from Gatorade, the official functional hydration partner of PULSE.

This FREE, family-friendly community event will take place on Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Henry Maier Festival Park, and will feature five-Time American Ninja Warrior Competitor Ninja Yari and Paralympic silver medalist Emily Oberst.

PULSE is the city’s largest outdoor fitness and wellness event, where attendees of all levels can take part in FREE workouts and experiences. From fitness enthusiasts to those just beginning their wellness journey, attendees can explore more than 40 group classes, live cooking demonstrations, and opportunities to engage with over 50 local and national health, wellness, and fitness organizations.

Advance registration is encouraged and available HERE. The first 400 registered attendees will receive a tote bag or a water bottle with a built-in cooling mister, courtesy of Aurora Health Care (one per person, while supplies last).

Well-known fitness personalities will lead various workouts throughout PULSE, including:

• NinjaYari — a five-time American Ninja Warrior®, Beast Games® competitor, and viral fitness livestreamer and creator with more than 1.8 million followers. She will lead a high-energy workout, titled “Unleash Your Inner Warrior.”
• Emily Oberst, Paralympian – a professional wheelchair basketball player, silver medalist, childhood cancer survivor, adaptive sports advocate, professional speaker, and host of the “Plot Twist with Emily Oberst” podcast. Emily is currently training to be on Team USA in the 2028 Paralympics and works full time at The Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association (WASA) as the Outreach Director. WASA will partner with Emily to lead a workout where participants will have the opportunity to utilize sports wheelchairs for various skills challenges.
• Laura Novotny — a mom of three, business owner, and social media influencer who has turned her passion for fitness into a career. She began as a runner, transitioned to bodybuilding, and now creates workouts for women at all stages of life, including pregnancy and postpartum. She will be leading and guiding participants through a HIIT workout.
• Dominique Johnson — group exercise instructor and health and wellness specialist for the Milwaukee Metro YMCA, and First Lady of the City of Milwaukee, and will lead a group Zumba class.

Interactive Fitness Experiences & Programming Areas – attendees of PULSE can explore a wide range of FREE fitness experiences across multiple interactive stage areas throughout the grounds, including:

• Aurora Pavilion — large-group workouts backed by DJ Riel and led by national, regional, and local fitness leaders.
• The Good Foods Cooking Stage with support from Pick ’n Save — featuring Executive Chef Michael Genre of Harbor House, Chef Britta Kramer: founder of Private Palate, Chef Imani Graham of Mentionable Eats, and Taste of Home’s Sarah Farmer. Chefs will provide live cooking demonstrations showcasing healthy recipes, followed by question/answer sessions hosted by Taste of Home’s Mark Hagen.
• Dance Stage — rhythm and movement-based fitness classes such as Capoeira style classes and dance led by organizations such as Milwaukee Ballet, Tempo Dance Co., and other local dance studios.
• Pickleball Courts — opportunities to dip, dink, and play through instructor-led sessions and free play, supported by ProLite.
• Yoga Stage — outdoor yoga classes hosted by studios including Healium Hot Yoga, Tribal Yoga School, Collective Flow, and YogaSix Milwaukee.
• Zen Den/Meditation Area — focused on mindfulness and wellness, led by partners such as Milwaukee Recreation, Saint Wrong Training, Parisa Yoga Shala, and Afterglow MKE.
• Sauna and Cold Plunges — an onsite sauna and cold plunge experience along the lakefront hosted by The Hive: Wellness & Social, helping attendees feel energized, aligned, and alive.
• Kayaking, operated by Forward Outdoor — a fun and active way to enjoy Milwaukee’s lakefront.

Small Group Workouts will be offered throughout the day and led by local fitness partners including Orangetheory Fitness, Afterglow MKE, Milwaukee Recreation, PowerCycle, The Shape Up Shoppe, YMCA of Greater Milwaukee, FLIGHT – Stairmaster & Strength Group Fitness, REVIVAL Fitness, Milwaukee Wellness Society, CrossFit Good Land, and more.

Food & Beverage – in addition to live cooking demonstrations, PULSE attendees can explore a variety of food and beverage offerings:

• Popular brands such as Bubbl’r, Good Foods, Oakberry Acai, Muscle Milk, Gatorade Lower Sugar, and more.
• Full-size items available for purchase, including wraps, salads, protein bowls, açaí and smoothie bowls from Baya Bar, as well as specialty coffee and matcha lattes from The Chai Company.

Calling all fitness and health-focused brands and organizations – MWF is currently accepting applications from local nonprofits and businesses in the health, wellness, food, and fitness industries to join the PULSE lineup of participating partners. Interested organizations can learn more and apply HERE.

Further details and additional fitness/wellness partners will be announced in the near future. For the latest information on PULSE, visit MilwaukeeworldFestival.com

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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