In recent years, the Vineyard has nurtured a rich community that is concerned with rejuvenating the mind, body, and soul, making it an idyllic host for an exciting new event — the first of what is intended to be a biannual affair: the Martha’s Vineyard Yoga Festival.
This three-day affair, which begins Monday, September 13, offers classes across the yoga spectrum from Hatha to Bikram, appealing to yogis and yoginis of all flavors. Between sessions, the festival will provide an array of personal enrichment workshops, in addition to the freedom to enjoy the natural beauty of the island.
“We’re thrilled that we’re getting this cooking,” Sara Nixon says, owner of the Beach Plum Inn. The local inn is an iconic Vineyard business, and one that embodies the Island’s beauty. Burrowed in the woods of Chilmark, the Inn overlooks the 300-year-old fishing village, Menemsha.
“There’s something about going up-Island that puts you in a different frame of mind,” Ms. Nixon says. She, along with longtime pal and “partner-in-crime” Kathy Bega, had been discussing the idea for years when the two decided midsummer it was time to take action.
Ms. Nixon and Ms. Bega, both Island and yoga enthusiasts, garnered commitment through casual conversations with the local yoga community on the beach and at the Chilmark Store. “We saw it as an opportunity to sow seeds for the future,” Ms. Nixon says of the event, which she and Ms. Vega hope to turn into a biannual happening. “Though I’m nervous to let people in on the secret of September’s beauty here,” she adds, half in jest.
For the festival, along with an expansive selection of yoga classes, the Inn will provide amenities such as massages, tarot readings, and a collection of salon services. “It will be a great opportunity for up-Islanders to stay up-Island if they want to get a manicure,” Ms. Nixon quips, with sincerity. Kayaking, tennis clinics, and horseback riding are just a few of many activities that will be accessible to interested folks along with the option to enjoy lunch and a “Vino and Vinyasa” cocktail party, where guests are sure to marvel at the Menemsha sunset.
“It’s a great opportunity to reach out to visitors who believe the Island is great only during the summer season,” Ms. Nixon says, adding the festival will also be great chance for Islanders to dip their foot in the water of yoga to see “what shoe fits them — just like Cinderella.”
Passes are available for purchase for all interested, whether for three-days, one day, or even one class. “I’m hoping the event will be a sort of escape from day-to-day life for Islanders,” Ms. Nixon says, enthusiastically. She is thrilled to share the “Beach Plum experience” with the Island and yoga collective.
For more information, visit www.mvyogafestival.com or www.innsatmenemsha.com.
