New York City has a fitness event that stands apart from everything else on the calendar. It is not a race, a gym membership sale, or a supplement expo. It is something bigger and more personal than any of those things. On Saturday, September 26, 2026, one of the most anticipated wellness festivals in the country returns to the heart of Manhattan, and this year it comes with a major new addition that no fitness fan in the city should miss.
Whether you are a seasoned gym-goer, a wellness curious beginner, or someone looking for a genuinely fun and energizing day out in New York, this guide tells you everything you need to know before you go.
Event Overview at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Event Name | Strong New York 2026 |
| Date | Saturday, September 26, 2026 |
| Venue | The Glasshouse NYC |
| Address | 660 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10019 |
| Expected Attendance | 5,000+ attendees |
| Wellness Brands | 100+ on-site |
| New for 2026 | NYC debut of ATHX Games |
| Official Charity Partner | Back on My Feet |
| Ticket Sales | strongnewyork.com |
What Is Strong New York?
Strong New York is New York City’s biggest fitness and wellness festival. Forbes has named it one of the top fitness festivals in the country, and that recognition is well earned. The event describes itself as “Coachella meets Comic Con, but make it fitness.” That description captures something real. The energy, the scale, and the sense of community on the day all feel like something much larger than a typical health expo.
The festival brings together celebrity trainers, wellness industry experts, doctors, performance coaches, and more than 100 wellness brands in a single venue for one action-packed day. Attendees participate in live workouts, attend expert panels, explore a healthy food marketplace, experience brand activations, and connect with thousands of like-minded people who take their health seriously without taking themselves too seriously.
Strong New York is both a social event and a substantive one. You leave with new ideas, new connections, and very likely sore muscles from the workouts you tried during the day.
Date, Location and Venue
The 2026 edition takes place on Saturday, September 26, at The Glasshouse NYC, located at 660 12th Avenue in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.
The Glasshouse is one of the most striking event venues in New York City. Situated along the Hudson River waterfront, it offers sweeping views of the city skyline and the water. The space is open, modern, and flexible enough to host the full range of activities that make up the festival, from dedicated workout zones to panel stages and wellness exhibits. The venue can accommodate thousands of people and creates an atmosphere that feels festive and motivating rather than crowded or chaotic.
Getting there is straightforward. The venue is accessible by subway via the A, C, and E lines to 50th Street or 42nd Street. Buses along 12th Avenue and 11th Avenue also stop nearby. If you plan to drive, parking is available in the surrounding area, though public transport is the more convenient option on a busy Saturday in Midtown.
The Biggest New Addition: ATHX Games Makes Its NYC Debut
The headline news for 2026 is unmistakable. Strong New York is bringing ATHX Games to New York City for the first time ever. ATHX Games is a hybrid fitness competition backed by Adidas and designed to test real-world strength, endurance, and athletic skill across multiple physical disciplines.
ATHX runs as a 2.5-hour continuous competition across six zones. Each zone tests a different aspect of fitness. The format is built around movement standards accessible to all fitness levels, making it genuinely welcoming to first-time competitors alongside more experienced athletes. The six zones include:
- A warm-up and activation area where competitors prepare before stepping onto the competition floor
- A strength zone where lifting and ground-to-overhead movements are tested
- A recovery and rehydration station between zones
- A sustained endurance zone built around ski-erg, sandbag carries, box jump overs, and similar movements
- A final conditioning zone designed to test functional fitness and leave everything on the floor
- A recovery area after completion with the latest recovery technology
The MetCon X zone within the competition includes ski-erg, ground-to-overhead, sandbag carries, box jump overs, burpee broad jumps, and walking lunges. A 12-week structured training plan is available through the Marchon Training app for anyone who wants to prepare properly before competing.
This is the first time ATHX has hosted an event in the United States, and it is happening right here at Strong New York 2026. For anyone who follows the hybrid fitness space, that is a genuinely big deal.
Confirmed Speakers for 2026
The speaker lineup at the 2026 festival brings together some of the most respected voices in fitness, medicine, and human performance. These are not celebrity appearances for the sake of name recognition. Each speaker brings genuine expertise and practical knowledge that attendees can take home and apply.
| Speaker | Known For |
| Carl Daikeler | Co-founder of BODi, creator of P90X and Beachbody programs |
| Stefi Cohen | World record-holding powerlifter and sports medicine doctor |
| Phil Daru | Elite performance and strength coach for professional MMA fighters |
| Dr. Tommy Wood | Physician, neuroscientist, and human performance researcher |
| Dr. Drew Pinsky | Board-certified internist, addiction medicine specialist, and media personality |
Additional speakers will be announced in the weeks leading up to the event. The panel topics cover training science, longevity, mental health, nutrition, business in wellness, and the future of human performance. Sessions are designed to be accessible to general attendees, not just fitness professionals.
Workouts and Fitness Experiences
The workout floor is the heart of the day for many attendees. High-energy classes run throughout the festival, led by instructors from some of the most recognized fitness brands and studios in the country.
Confirmed workout partners and brands for 2026 include:
- Gotham Gym
- STRONG Pilates
- Tremble
- The Pack
- obé Fitness
- Serotonin Club
- P90X
- Pvolve
- TRX
Each partner brings its own style and energy to the day. You can try a strength-focused class in the morning, move to a pilates-style session in the afternoon, and finish with a high-energy group workout before the day closes. There is no single fixed schedule for attendees. You choose what interests you and build your own experience from the options available throughout the day.
This variety is one of the things that makes the event genuinely useful for people at different stages of their fitness journey. A beginner can try five or six different workout formats in a single day and walk away knowing what resonates with them. A seasoned athlete can push into competition mode through ATHX while also sampling new modalities they might not encounter at their regular gym.
Recovery and Wellness Zone
Physical output is only one side of the health equation. The recovery and wellness zone gives attendees the tools to understand and improve the other side: how their bodies repair, rest, and regenerate after hard work.
The zone features the latest in recovery technology, including modalities used by professional athletes. Expect to see demonstrations and hands-on experiences with compression therapy, cold exposure tools, red light panels, percussion devices, and mobility work. Brands in this space use the festival as an opportunity to educate attendees about recovery science, not just sell products.
Additionally, the recovery zone provides a welcome break from the high-energy activity zones around it. Even if you are fully engaged in the competition and workout elements of the day, spending time here helps you understand the full picture of performance and wellbeing.
Healthy Food Marketplace
Strong New York takes the food element seriously. A curated healthy food marketplace runs throughout the day, giving attendees access to nutritious, high-quality meals, snacks, and drinks without having to leave the venue.
Title sponsor Impact Kitchen, a New York-based healthy fast food concept, plays a central role in the food program. Additional food and beverage brands are present throughout the marketplace, covering everything from high-protein snacks and functional beverages to clean energy options. Celsius, one of the leading functional energy drink brands in the country, returns as a title sponsor and will be featured throughout the day.
The marketplace is not an afterthought. It is designed as a place where attendees can refuel between activities, discover new products, and think about how nutrition connects to their overall wellness goals.
Miles for Change: The Charity Activation
One of the most meaningful new elements of 2026 is Miles for Change, a community-driven charitable activation in partnership with Back on My Feet, Strong New York’s official charity partner.
Back on My Feet is a national nonprofit that uses running and community support to help individuals experiencing homelessness develop the confidence, self-sufficiency, and resources to move their lives forward. During the festival, attendees are encouraged to walk, jog, or run toward a collective mileage goal. Every mile completed contributes to the organization’s mission.
This activation connects the energy of the festival to something genuinely meaningful in the real world. It also reinforces one of the core themes of Strong New York: that strength is not just a physical condition. It is a mental and social one too.
The After Party
For the first time in the event’s history, Strong New York will host an official after party in partnership with TMPL Clubs, one of New York City’s premier boutique gym and lifestyle brands. TMPL returns as a title sponsor for 2026 and takes on the role of after-party host as the expo floor closes.
The after party extends the energy and community of the festival into the evening, giving attendees the chance to connect with new friends, speakers, and brand representatives in a more relaxed social setting. Details on the after party location and format will be announced closer to the date.
Ticket Information
Tickets for Strong New York 2026 went on early sale starting June 8, 2026. Early bird pricing was available at that time, and prices will increase as the event approaches.
Ticket tiers include general admission, which covers full access to the festival floor including all workout sessions, panels, the food marketplace, wellness activations, and the ATHX Games spectator area. Additional options may include competition entry for ATHX Games, which would require separate registration through the official event channels.
The official website at strongnewyork.com is the primary source for ticket purchases. There are no refunds once tickets are purchased, so buyers should confirm their availability before completing the transaction. SweatPals, one of the title sponsors, also facilitates ticket access through its community platform.
Given that the 2026 edition introduces ATHX Games for the first time in New York City alongside the established festival programming, demand is expected to be higher than in previous years. Buying tickets as early as possible is strongly recommended.
Practical Tips for Attending
Arriving prepared makes a significant difference at an event of this size and energy. Here are the most useful things to know before September 26.
- Wear workout-ready clothing and footwear. You will want to participate in classes and activations, not just watch them.
- Bring a water bottle. Hydration stations will be available but having your own keeps you moving freely between zones.
- Arrive with energy. The day starts early and runs long. Eating a solid meal before you arrive sets you up to make the most of the first workout sessions.
- Check the schedule in advance. The full lineup of speakers, classes, and ATHX competition heats will be published on strongnewyork.com closer to the event. Identifying the two or three things you most want to do helps you navigate the day without missing the moments that matter to you.
- Register for ATHX Games separately if you plan to compete. Competition heats fill up, and spots are limited.
- Plan your journey before the day. The Glasshouse at 660 12th Avenue is most easily reached by subway or bus. Allow extra travel time on a busy Saturday in Midtown.
- Connect with other attendees in advance. SweatPals, the community platform and title sponsor, is an ideal place to find other people attending and coordinate your experience before the day.
Conclusion
Strong New York 2026 takes place on Saturday, September 26, at The Glasshouse NYC on 12th Avenue in Manhattan. The full-day festival welcomes more than 5,000 attendees and features 100-plus wellness brands, expert speakers including Carl Daikeler, Stefi Cohen, Phil Daru, Dr. Tommy Wood, and Dr. Drew Pinsky, live workouts from brands including P90X, TRX, Pvolve, and obé Fitness, a recovery and wellness zone, a healthy food marketplace, and the Miles for Change charity activation with Back on My Feet.
The biggest addition in 2026 is the New York City debut of ATHX Games, the Adidas-backed hybrid fitness competition that tests real-world strength, endurance, and skill across six zones in a 2.5-hour continuous format. The day closes with the first-ever official after party hosted by TMPL Clubs. Named by Forbes as one of the country’s top fitness festivals, this is the wellness event that New York has been building toward. Tickets are available now at strongnewyork.com, and with the ATHX debut driving extra demand, buying early is the single smartest thing you can do before September 26.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where does Strong New York 2026 take place?
The event takes place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at The Glasshouse NYC, located at 660 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10019. The venue sits on the Hudson River waterfront in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan and is accessible via the A, C, and E subway lines.
What is ATHX Games and why is it significant for 2026?
ATHX Games is a hybrid fitness competition backed by Adidas that tests strength, endurance, and functional fitness across six continuous zones in a 2.5-hour format. The 2026 festival marks the first time ATHX has competed in New York City, making it a historic debut for both the competition and the event. Competitors of all fitness levels are welcome, and a 12-week preparation plan is available through the Marchon Training app.
Who are the confirmed speakers at the 2026 festival?
Confirmed speakers include Carl Daikeler, co-founder of BODi and creator of P90X; world record powerlifter Stefi Cohen; elite performance coach Phil Daru; physician and neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood; and Dr. Drew Pinsky, a board-certified internist and media personality. Additional speakers will be announced closer to the event.
How do I buy tickets and what is the refund policy?
Tickets are available through the official website at strongnewyork.com and through the SweatPals platform. Early bird pricing was available from June 8, 2026, and prices increase as the event approaches. All ticket sales are final, and no refunds are offered, so buyers should confirm their schedule before purchasing.
What should I bring and wear to the event?
Wear comfortable, workout-ready clothing and athletic footwear, as you will have many opportunities to participate in live classes and activations throughout the day. Bring a personal water bottle, a charged phone for navigating the venue and connecting with brands, and a light bag for any samples or products you pick up during the day. Arrive having eaten a solid meal so you have energy from the start.
