YogaFest Brings All-Day Oming, Belly Dancers, and Stilt Walkers to Las Olas April 2

YogaFest returns to downtown Fort Lauderdale with downward facing dogs, pigeon poses, and plenty of shavasanas.

(That's corpse pose. You lie down. It's the best pose.)

The April 2 event at Fort Lauderdale's Huizenga Plaza will feature one class after another, starting at 10 a.m. The festivities will continue until 9 p.m., and the day will conclude with a group activity.

"This year, we’re having a big drum circle and an interactive jam session to keep everybody excited," says co-director Kelly Brookbank. In addition to drums, there'll be fire, hooping, stilt walkers, belly dancers, and more. 

The yoga classes, in general, are suitable for all levels, including beginners. One class is even seated, says Brookbank, and this year there'll be more meditation-focused sessions. 

"The teachers have a ton of experience with all different age ranges and levels," she adds.  From Hot Fusion Flow to Power Flow to Heart Opening Flow, there'll be all kinds of options.

Instructors at this year's event include Keith Fox (festival cofounder), Jimmy Barkan, Jiwan Kaur, Paige Held, Juliana Trejo, Corbin Stacy, and Jamar. 

In addition to bending, stretching, and inverting, attendees can eat and shop. 

"We have like 70 vendors. There's a variety of clothing, jewelry, and art," says Brookbank. "We have food  — the New Vegan is one of our main vendors, and there'll be other healthy food, including a raw juice company."

The day is family-friendly, and kids, teens, and adults are all encouraged to come practice.

"It's definitely a community event. We pull people from Miami all the way to Vero Beach," says Brookbank. 

Proceeds from YogaFest will benefit the the MahaShakti Foundation (MSF), a local nonprofit that works to spread the word about music, yoga, and meditation. This year, MSF will take high schoolers to Costa Rica to learn the ins and outs of stress management, yoga technique, and other skills.

YogaFest runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 2, at Huizenga Plaza, 1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Visit Mahashaktifoundation.org/YogaFest.