During the last year of the pandemic, many Hudson Valley and Catskills yoga enthusiasts discovered a love of practicing in the great outdoors. But the combo of movement and fresh mountain air was one that Raegan Reed had long ago realized was the perfect fit.
In 2017, the North Face had reached out to Reed, a Delhi-based fitness instructor and owner of The Cardio Club and Delhi Dance Studio, about hosting a yoga retreat for its employees on Plattekill Mountain in Roxbury. The event fell through due to weather, but in the process Reed was struck by just how perfect the locale—which came complete with a spacious mountaintop platform used for weddings and other events—was for hosting classes.
This July, after years of dreaming and a pandemic-driven delay, Reed is finally realizing her dream of launching the Catskill Mountain Yoga Festival. “It started as just a seedling of an event and boom—we now have a yoga festival,” she says.
The one-day, family-friendly event, which takes place Saturday, July 24, features over 30 indoor, outdoor, and mountaintop classes and workshops for all ages and abilities. Yoga styles offered include Ashtanga, Vinyasa, YogaFit, kids yoga, aerial yoga, yoga trapeze, restorative yoga, and more. For those looking to broaden their practice, there will also be classes and workshops in meditation, bandhas, Thai massage, essential oils, Ayurveda, and foraging. “People keep asking me which classes they should take, but honestly you can’t go wrong,” Reed says. “Part of the fun is exploring the different styles to figure out what feels good in your body.”
The festival’s instructors are a mix of national names and local favorites, including the world-renowned Kelly Kamm, who will be leading an inspiring 90-minute "Revolutionize Your Yoga" class. Many of the classes also offer yoga instructors the opportunity to earn continuing education credits.
The jam-packed day all culminates with a sound healing session and closing ceremony, followed by a farm-to-table dinner highlighting local ingredients and a concert by Saratoga Springs-based band Motion Blur.
A one-day pass will get festivalgoers three classes or workshops plus hiking, scenic sky rides, a swag bag, guided meditation, a sound healing ceremony, and the evening concert, all for $105. If you’re tagging along with your yoga-practicing family and friends, you can hang out on the mountain and enjoy free skyrides and access to food vendors for $15. For kiddos who are ready to start honing their own yoga practice, a festival pass is just $10.
The inaugural Catskill Mountain Yoga Festival will take place at Plattekill Mountain on Saturday, July 24 with a rain date of Sunday, July 25. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit Catskillmountainyogafestival.com.
