Diana Bayliss has been performing this beautiful art for more than 25 years. She originally trained with puppet master Puran Bhatt in India, learning the skilful hand techniques with fingers directly controlling the puppet strings.

Expect beautiful, hand carved, string puppets, colourful cloths and dynamic music in this ancient and popular folk entertainment from the desert land of Rajasthan in North India.

Traditional Indian puppets show their skills: a snake charmer with his deadly cobra, camels, horses, gorgeous dancers, a juggler, magician and more.

We are delighted to welcome back in 2026, world-renowned performers, Emily Hennessey and sitar player extraordinaire, Sheema Mukherjee, as they take us on a white-knuckled ride through sun-kissed palaces, fiend-infested forests and every cacophonous saffron-scented marketplace in between.

Throughout the festival, you'll have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of yoga beyond the mat. Engage in Q&A sessions with our esteemed guest teachers, where you can ask questions, clarify concepts, and gain insights from their vast experience.

Additionally, Lectures will be sprinkled throughout the event, covering philosophy, anatomy and Ayurveda. These informal yet informative discussions offer a fantastic way to expand your knowledge and connect with fellow practitioners in a relaxed setting.

There is always a musical element to IYOGA Fest - Katy Hooper has been regaling us for many years with her beautiful singer-song writing talents and in 2026 we have another (surprise) guest band coming to dance us to the end of the festival.

If you love music, why not join in? Bring your own instrument, your voice, or simply your love for music, and be part of the magic.

Every year, we provide shopping temptations with the official IYOGA Festival stall, plus Cheltenham Yoga, Nick Hooper Design and other Iyengar Yoga related offerings.

If you have a stall you would like to feature, please get in touch with the office for more information.

With 98 acres of private ground to walk in, you can spend 4 days there and never walk the same path twice. YMCA Fairthorne has a private jetty access onto the river Hamble which is a tidal river and popular for paddle boarders, kayaks and wild swimming.

If you do want to go offsite, the nearby little village of Botley has quirky shops and cafés, whilst the sea is 20 minutes away towards Hill Head. The historic city of Winchester (where IYOGA Festival founder, Rachel Lovegrove and her sister Hannah Lovegrove grew up) is a beautiful place to visit with it’s cathedral, pedestrian precinct and buildings steeped in history and character.