Free Outdoor Yoga to Return to LaSalle Road

Early one morning last August hundreds of people congregated right in the middle of LaSalle Road, but it was a much more peaceful gathering than one might expect.

The crowd of several hundred people – of all ages and abilities – set up their mats right in the middle of the road and followed as . It was truly what organizers called "mind over madness."

On July 21, at 8 a.m., yoga enthusiasts will once again take over a block of West Hartford Center in the second annual free outdoor class hosted by . Yogi Barbara Ruzansky will return to lead participants of all levels through a variety of poses. She will be assisted by instructors from other local yoga studios, and will be accompanied by live drumming.

Organizers anticipate that this will be the largest yoga event in the Greater Hartford area, and they hope to attract 1,000 participants this year.

“There was a real community feel to the event. I saw people I haven’t connected with for some time … friends that I only know through the yoga world,” said West Hartford Yoga student Alison Mundy in a prepared statement.

Although the event is free, local businesses and the LaSalle Road Farmer's Market hope that participants will remain after the class to shop and eat.

LaSalle Road will be closed to traffic, but parking is available in municipal lots. The rain date for the event is August 11. Participants are asked to bring their own yoga mats.