Three friends who collectively shed 36 stone have established the UK's inaugural weight loss festival, complete with reinforced beds and chairs, larger toilets, and plastic surgery consultations. Donna Musson, 43, Anastasia Morris, 34, and Pamela Phillips, 42, first crossed paths at an event after each undergoing different bariatric surgery procedures to achieve significant weight loss.
Bonding over their transformative journeys, they quickly realised there were scarce opportunities for individuals with similar experiences to connect. This inspired them to create Barifest, the UK's first weight loss surgery festival, designed to welcome anyone who has undergone a physical transformation through surgery, weight loss injections, or dieting.
The vibrant festival took place from May 15 to 17 in Bath, attracting up to 75 attendees who paid between £60 for a day pass and £229 for a full weekend with camping. The event was sponsored by Booking Surgery, a provider of surgical and non-surgical affordable treatments in Turkey.
Pamela, from Wolverhampton, who lost 9 stone 7 pounds within months after a gastric sleeve surgery in 2023, remarked: 'It can be very lonely having weight loss surgery and then returning to reality with your normal friends. Barifest was about bringing people together as a family, free from embarrassment or shame. This is just the beginning, and it's so exciting—Barifest will take over the world!'
Her fellow organisers echoed this sentiment, declaring that the festival is only the start of their expansion plans. They have since announced on Instagram that the event will run again next year.
Several guests praised the festival for its remarkable inclusivity, offering smaller food portions, strengthened beds and chairs, and larger toilets to ensure accessibility for all sizes and shapes. Anastasia, a logistics administrator from Llanymynech, Wales, dropped from 32 stone to 14 stone 9 pounds after gastric bypass surgery in August 2023. Donna slimmed down from 20 stone 7 pounds to 11 stone 6 pounds following a gastric sleeve surgery in May 2021.
Reflecting on the unexpected success, Donna said: 'There were people who had only just had their surgery—it wasn't just a field full of slim people. Even me, Pam, and Anastasia are all at different stages: I'm at the end of my journey after skin removal surgery, Pam has lost weight and is looking into skin removal, and Anastasia is still losing weight. Food-wise, we had lots of options—full portions, half portions, and soup—so everyone at any stage of their journey had a choice.'
The event featured crafting, karaoke, exercise classes, live music, wellness workshops, and boozy bingo. The headline DJ was Shortee Blitz, who has worked with artists like Jay-Z and Mariah Carey, and various plastic surgeons conducted on-site consultations.
Describing the day as 'uplifting', Anastasia added that 'nobody was judging loose skin, so there was no need to feel self-conscious. If you've always been skinny, you don't think about whether chairs and beds will fit you or if you can get in the toilet. But we truly understand what it's like, and it was the best weekend making memories.'
On Instagram, the Barifest account shared: 'Nine months ago, Barifest was just a silly little idea and a “shall we?” … This weekend we stood there watching it become a reality. Literal blood, sweat, and tears went into this with nothing but love, passion, and soul because this community deserved something more, and we did it. I genuinely don’t think the three of us will ever get over seeing something we dreamed about come to life like this. This is only the beginning of something so much bigger. Believe in yourself, because this surgery can truly change your whole life.'
