HOLDING SPACE AT SPLORE
With the final gathering of Splore Festival 2026 set for 20-22 February at Tapapakanga Regional Park, New Zealand’s longest-running music and arts festival, Wendy Douglas is feeling a deep sense of love and emotion. Junction caught up with the creator of Wendy’s Wellness as she reflects on her journey, the community she has nurtured, and what this final chapter means.
Splore has been part of my life since I moved here in 2006. It’s been a place of connection, creativity, play and deep community. A place where I’ve danced barefoot, worked my arse off, laughed until my face hurt, and quietly taken moments to myself when no one was watching. Knowing we’re heading toward the final chapter makes everything feel more tender, more precious.
Being trusted to shape Wendy’s Wellness over the years has been a real honour. Watching wellness grow from a smaller offering into something that feels genuinely woven into the fabric of the festival has been incredibly special. I’ve never taken that trust lightly.
What people often see is the calm. The yoga, the breathwork, the treatments, the talks, the moments of rest. What they don’t always see is what it takes to hold a space like that. Months of planning. Constant conversations. Balancing logistics, budgets, people, and senergy. Holding a vision while staying responsive and human. It’s a lot and it’s done with care, intention and a lot of love.
Festivals are meant to be fun. They’re about colour, costumes, dancing, late nights and letting go. But Splore has always understood that balance matters. That, alongside the bass and the buzz, people need somewhere to land. Wendy’s Wellness exists for that reason, a space where you can exhale, come back into your body, and remember yourself before heading back out into the party.
What’s always meant the most to me is the people. The facilitators who show up with so much heart. The crew and volunteers who make it all possible. And the festival-goers who step into the space with openness and curiosity. Over time, Wendy’s Wellness has become more than a programme. It’s become a community. Relationships formed here don’t just last a weekend; they continue long after the tents come down.
As we look toward 2026, not just the Wellness programme but Splore as a whole, I feel deeply proud and incredibly grateful to have been part of co-creating so many memories at one of Aotearoa’s most iconic festivals.
Splore has shaped me, challenged me, and given me a place to weave together all the parts of who I am.
This final chapter feels bittersweet. Full of gratitude. Full of heart. And full of appreciation for what’s possible when people gather with intention, care, and a whole lot of love.