The Fari Islands Festival will return from 13 to 15 August 2026, bringing art, music, gastronomy and wellness to two luxury resorts in the North Malé Atoll.
Now in its second edition, the three-day festival will unfold across Patina Maldives, Fari Islands and The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands. Newly announced participants include designer Sean Wotherspoon, endurance athlete Milind Soman, Dutch DJ FS Green and National Geographic, joining headliner Rosamund Pike and musicians Sébastien Tellier and NOTEP.
Under the theme “One Festival, Every Sense”, the programme will move from sunrise rituals and ocean activities to cultural conversations, shared dining and evening performances. Guests staying at either resort can travel between festival locations by complimentary boat, with Fari Marina Village serving as a communal hub.
Sean Wotherspoon creates a sculpture for the lagoon
Designer Sean Wotherspoon, known for collaborations with Nike, Adidas, Porsche and Gap, will lead a collaborative art residency shaped around coral conservation.
Guests will help construct a large reef-inspired sculpture under his direction. The completed installation is intended for the Fari Islands lagoon, where it will support coral-regeneration work and change as marine life settles around it.
Wotherspoon is also set to appear at the Fari Artist Atelier in a pop-up featuring limited pieces and an exclusive Fari Islands merchandise collection.
Milind Soman leads the Charity Island Run
On the festival’s final morning, Indian endurance athlete Milind Soman will join the Maldives running community iRunners to host 5km and 10km island runs.
The event connects with iRunners’ Protect the Reef campaign and its Maldives Half Marathon, held in Malé since 2022. Proceeds from the 2026 initiative are set to support coral restoration in Villingili.
Marine programming will include sessions with a visiting National Geographic Explorer and the Olive Ridley Project. Activities will focus on the Maldives’ biodiversity, sea life and conservation work.
Beachfront music, dining and wellness
FS Green will headline the closing evening with a beachfront set spanning electronic music, Afrobeats, dancehall and house. The wider music programme includes French artist Sébastien Tellier and Thai multidisciplinary artist NOTEP, whose performances combine sound, storytelling and nature.
Dining will feature Michelin-starred chef Samuel Lee of Parisian neo-bistrot SENsation and Tokyo’s WAGYUMAFIA. Bangkok’s Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, ranked fifth in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025, will work with Michter’s Whiskey, while Danilo Pozone of Sei Bellissimi will lead curated spirits sessions.
Wellness by Bamford returns with sound healer Stephanie Waxberg and aromatherapist Louise Riby. Noble Panacea will also host sessions centred on longevity and holistic wellbeing.
“The festival has always been about curiosity – bringing together remarkable people whose work inspires fresh ways of thinking and connecting,” said Anthony Gill, general manager of Patina Maldives.
Festival stays can be reserved through Patina Maldives or The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands. Principal festival events are included for registered guests, while selected experiences may require separate bookings.
