This September, JW Marriott will host Gather by JW, the second annual food & wine festival at JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa on the Venetian archipelago of Isola delle Rose. In collaboration with FOOD & WINE Magazine, the festival will take over the hotel and island from September 26 – 29 for three days of unrivaled food, wine, and well-being experiences led by a star-studded roster of chefs alongside the world’s leading mindfulness experts and practitioners.
JW Marriott is passionate about providing guests unique opportunities to be present and enrich the body, mind and spirit through meaningful experiences. From cutting-edge well-being offerings and mindful moments to intimate chef cooking classes and experiential dinners, Gather by JW is designed to offer engaging opportunities to explore the connection between food and well-being.
“Coming together with loved ones to enjoy amazing food and drinks not only nourishes the body, but also feeds the soul, offering a sense of comfort and a feeling that all is well,” said Mitzi Gaskins, Global Brand Leader of JW Marriott. “This year at Gather by JW, we are thrilled to collaborate with innovative well-being brands to ensure our guests are fully present and able to enjoy every moment of the festival.”
Mindfulness is infused through all elements of the festival, from the first moment guests step onto the serene private island of Isola delle Rose in Venice. Gather by JW will open with a Warm Welcome – a group Mindful Moment led by experts from Alo, the Los Angeles-based wellness brand that specializes in studio-to-street activewear with a mission to share mindful movement and the transformative, healing power of yoga with the world. Designed with tranquility in mind and inspired by the simple beauty of nature, the communal moment will encourage all festival attendees to come together to pause, re-center, and start their Gather by JW experience refreshed.
Located in the heart of Gather by JW’s Festival Square, JW Marriott has created an outdoor JW Mindfulness House and an indoor quiet space, dubbed The Hideaway. At the JW Mindfulness House, guests can experience a sampling of well-being offerings by Alo and others, collect maps of mindfulness experiences across the island such as the JW Secret Spots, blend their own curated tonics at The Elements Adaptogen Bar, and arrange for bicycles to explore the natural beauty of Isola delle Rose.
In addition to leading the communal Mindful Moment that will open Gather by JW and allow guests to set their intentions for the rest of their experience, Alo has developed a dynamic program of well-being activities available in the JW Mindfulness House. Alo – which stands for Air Land Ocean – has become a cult-favorite among yogis and celebrities alike for their holistic approach to active wear, combining unparalleled fabric technology, fashion-forward design, and a focus on making mindful movement a greater part of a life lived consciously. Alo has a network of experts, practitioners and teachers known as OM-bassadors that help to inspire wellness and create community with master classes, workshops, and restorative sessions.
Mala Collective, a group dedicated to inspiring mindful evolution through simple tools and practices, has created a Crystal Bar within the Mindfulness House, where guests will have the opportunity to tap into the vibrational energy of natural crystals to further enhance their meditation and mindfulness practices. Crystals are used to set intentions, clear spaces, and encourage grounding. Selecting from a menu of individually-chosen crystals, guests can experience the metaphysical restorative properties of these ancient minerals – from Fluorite for increasing intuition and transforming negative energy to the profoundly peaceful and tranquil energy of Amethyst.
At The Hideaway, Mala Collective has also created a space where guests may engage in meditation or quiet contemplation. Mala Collective has provided custom mediation using cushions as well as their name sake, malas – strings of beads and crystals used to count mantras in meditation. Mala Collective’s unique pieces are handmade by female artisans throughout Asia, using traditional techniques. During mantra meditation, practitioners repeat mantras in order to free their mind and connect with an inner stillness. At Gather by JW, guests will be able to utilize sacred mala beads and mantras through simple yet powerful meditations, perfect for those beginning or deepening their mindfulness practice. When used in tandem, the healing energies created from the synergy of the crystals and the intentionality of mantra meditation result in an inspiring and revitalizing experience for both soul and body.
Gather by JW will be one of the first opportunities for the public to experience tune, a revolutionary biotuning company that uses biofrequencies to switch the body to an optimal functional and emotional state. tune’s mission is to unlock human potential through the science of sound, frequencies, and vibration to optimize our overall health and well-being.
The 15-minute process literally “tunes” the body and mind on a physiological level, facilitating presence, relaxation, and happiness. Attendees can book a tune session where they will relax on a custom-designed tuneBed and select one of the seven biofrequencies, ranging from energize to cleanse. These proprietary frequency compositions are designed to shift the body from a fight-or-flight state to a rest-and-recovery state during the immersive, sensory experience. After the session, the mind is clear, the body is relaxed, and guests feel like their best self, full of presence and flow, and ready to fully absorb the festival.