Third Annual Yoga Festival Heats Up on Martha's Vineyard

By: iO Staff, August 28, 2012

Courtesy MVYF - Yogis practice postures and breath work outside at last year's Martha's Vineyard Yoga Festival.

The Martha’s Vineyard Yoga Festival will kick off its third year of yoga classes, healthy eating, meditation and outdoor activities over Labor Day weekend at various locations on Martha’s Vineyard.

From Thursday, August 31 to Monday, September 2, the festival will offer more than 25 classes for all levels and styles of yoga, including Kirtan chanting, dristi yoga and meditation, restorative yoga, and yoga nidra.

Classes will be taught by Los Angeles teacher Saul David Raye, Yoganation’s Sara Ivanhoe, The Shala’s Kristin Leigh and Barbara Verrochi, Conquering Lion’s Kelly Morris, Hatch NYC Founder Toni Melaas, Hart Yoga’s Lindel Hart, Yoga Shanti’s Lynda Lee O’Laughlin and Lululemon Ambassador Michelle Boullion.  

While the central hub of the festival will take place at the Chilmark Community Center, classes will also take place at the Vineyard Haven hot yoga studio Tapas, the Martha’s Vineyard Yoga Center in Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Yoga in West Tisbury and several other locations. The full schedule of classes can be found at MVyogafestival.com.

Founded in 2010 by yoga advocates Kathy Bega and Sarah Nixon to "offer world-class yoga in a spectacular natural setting," the festival has expanded to focus on alternative healing and local food. To that end, Chris Fischer of Beetlebung Farm will create a health food café at the Chilmark Community Center, cooking up dishes with ingredients straight from the farm and from the island’s only raw chocolate makers, Not Your Sugar Mamas, and Chilmark Coffee.

Yoga for everyone

Each morning at 6:30, the festival offers free meditation with Sarah Davis. Before settling into family life and moving to Martha’s Vineyard with her family, Davis spent 10 years studying and teaching yoga and vipassana meditation in Asia and Europe. She will share her knowledge of the Buddhist teachings of Anapansati and Satipatthana, the awareness of breath and establishment of mindfulness.

On Saturday, September 1st, The Boathouse’s Griffin Hughes will be leading a sunset standup paddle session on Quitsa Pond, near Lobsterville Beach, from 5 to 7 PM.  

Yoga clothing, featuring designs by the island’s Stina Sayre, Gabriella Camilleri, along with Hyde Yoga and Foat Design, will be available at the Chilmark Community Center.

Prices range from $25 for a one-hour master class to $45 for a two-hour workshop and $125 for the full day immersion with Saul David Raye. Classes are $10 more if purchased at the door.  

For those who cannot afford a class or just want to get involved, volunteers are encouraged to trade their time for an hour of yoga. Contact Kathy Bega at 508-274-4682 for more information.