FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT: HOUSE PARTY FEST

Looking for something to do this September? We are thrilled for this year’s festival season and can’t wait to check out all the amazing events taking place around the world. This week we had a chance to connect with Irv “Zeus” Hyppolite founder of House Party Fest

Complimentary copies of our magazine will be available at this festival! 

What makes this year’s festival unique?
I believe what makes this festival unique is that this festival is built behind Black culture. Similar to the Afrotechs, Essence Festivals of the world, I created The House Party to highlight Black fitness, Black music and show that when you combine these two elements you can create a space for us to feel supported.

The House Party is designed to feel as much like a music festival as it does a wellness and fitness experience. Throughout the day we have classes themed to the sounds of R&B, Trap, Women of Hip-Hop, Gospel, and more.

Who are some new presenters or offerings you are excited about?
I’m most excited about our Heal House activation, led by The Healing Collective. As important as fitness is, I’ve found it is even more important to make space for mental health and emotional wellness in the Black community and create a safe space for us,

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start their own local fitness festival?
My advice would be to create with passion and lead with purpose. Throwing a “festival” has become a buzzword lately, but if you’re going to build something that actually lasts, it can’t just be about making money.

The theme of our issue is Community, can you share with us what the word “community” means to you?
To me, community is about creating a space where people genuinely feel like they belong.

Fitness may be what brings us together, but I’ve learned over the years that people don’t always come back just because of the workout. They come back because of how the space makes them feel. They build relationships. They see familiar faces. They feel supported, challenged and celebrated – and most importantly seen.

With Inner U and now House Party, I’ve always wanted to create spaces where our culture isn’t something we have to leave at the door – it’s part of the experience. The music we grew up on, the energy, the people, the way we celebrate each other –  all of that is wellness too.

Why are fitness festival communities important?
Fitness festivals are important because they give people an opportunity to experience wellness differently.

So much of the fitness industry can feel transactional – you take a class, you work out, and you go home. But wellness should be bigger than a workout. A festival gives us the opportunity to build community around movement and create something much bigger that people actually want to be part of.

That’s a huge reason we created The House Party. We wanted Black fitness, wellness, music and culture to exist together unapologetically in the same space. We wanted people to see that taking care of yourself doesn’t have to look, feel, or sound only one way.

These communities are important because they make fitness more accessible socially and culturally. You’re not just telling people to work out. You’re giving them a reason to want to be there, to connect, and hopefully continue that relationship with wellness long after the festival is over.