The fourth annual Newtown Yoga Festival took place Saturday, August 27, at NYA Sports & Fitness Center.Yoga Bear: Yoga for Youngsters.Newtown Yoga Festival co-founder, instructor, and author Karen Pierce held a benefit signing of her children's book, Anyone interested in being a volunteer, vendor, silent auction donor, or sponsor for the 2017 festival may e-mail newtownyogafestival@gmail.com.

The all-day event brought yogis and nearly 200 people from Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts to Newtown to explore a variety of yoga classes.

Co-founder Suzy DeYoung said the festival raised enough money to offer another six-week "mindfulness-based meditation" community class, which will be hosted by Amie Meleshkewich at Flow to Fit Yoga in Southbury.

The festival kicked off at 9 am, and attendees were welcomed to experience the sounds of the didgeridoo played by Casey Dixon.

One of the first activities of the day was Journey Dance, led by Joanne Keane. With the lights dimmed in the turf area of the NYA, Ms Keane asked participants to stand up from their mats and gather close toward the front of the room.

She enlightened the group on oneness and focused on getting people comfortable. The group worked through a variety of exercises during which participants appeared to move as one choreographed unit.

Another early morning class offered Hoop Yoga led by Alexandra Capaldo. Ms Capaldo offered a playful, nontraditional form of yoga by leading her class through various movements using colorful hula hoops.

Afterward, the turf was divided using separator panels for the Yoga Buffet, where attendees got the opportunity to indulge their yoga palate by sampling a range of styles. The classes included Gentle Yoga with Trish Mc Donald; Qi Gong with Beth Anesi; Vinyasa Flow with Traci Weber; Yin Yang Flow with Allie Russell; Core Vinyasa with Charlie Sikorski; and Inversions with Colleen Breeckner.

The Newtown Yoga Festival even included a class specifically directed toward youth 7 to 17 years old called Yoga for Children of All Abilities. It was co-taught by Denise Nobile of Youth Nation Yoga and Barbara Burton, who owns Inner Child Yoga in New York.

Ms Nobile is a registered children's yoga teacher and said she focused the day's session on love and kindness. She even wore OPI's Sandy Hook Green nail polish purposefully to the festival to show her support for the community.

She said that during the children's class they incorporated sensory movements and even had the students color preprinted mandala art.

"It went well," Ms Nobile said. "The kids had a great time."

In addition to offering classes and the book signing, the event also included live music from the Rang RaaGa Kirtan Band, food, a silent auction, and multiple vendors in NYA's courtyard.

One of the vendors was Sande Nosonowitz, who showcased her yoga-inspired accessories from her online store Sundara Jewelry. The term "sundara" comes from Sanskrit and means beautiful.

As a yoga teacher, she blends her jewelry designs with the yoga philosophies.

Ms Nosonowitz is also a MSVA-certified vegan lifestyle coach and educator and ties her vegan activism with the yoga discipline of Ahimsa. Ahimsa is Sanskrit for "nonharming" and "to not injure." So, to have true Ahimsa there needs to be compassion for all living things.

"Everyone should go vegan," Ms Nosonowitz said. "All gentle beings deserve freedom."

Rebecca Moore, founder of the Institute for Animal Happiness, shared a tent with Ms Nosonowitz and had a similar philosophy about Ahimsa. The pair have united to launch the first Festival for the Animals in Hudson Valley coming in September.

In the early afternoon, festival co-headliners Gwen Lawrence and Elena Brower, accompanied by musician Garth Stevenson, conducted their community classes.

Ms Lawrence is a fitness and yoga instructor, whose clientele includes numerous professional sports teams. During her community class at the festival she balanced being assertive and tough with candid and funny dialog with attendees.

While walking among the group she would playfully make comments like, "We are going to do this till you all smile, and if you think I'm kidding: test me."

To motivate individuals to give their best effort - specifically during bridge pose - Ms Lawrence said, "When you think you're high enough, go higher."

She also had the class do a variety of poses like downward dog, cobra, child's, mountain, plow, happy baby, bridge, Warrior 1, Warrior 2, and plank.

Ms Lawrence said when attendees head home feeling sore from her class, "You'll have a little empathy for the athletes now."

Ms Brower's community class offered a more mellow approach to practicing yoga. She spoke in a soft, sweet tone, which was complemented with the soothing sounds of Mr Stevenson's upright bass. The lights were dimmed in the room, and Ms Brower sat on the floor next to everyone while giving instructions.

She encouraged the class to "Make it so you're really having an experience," "Live in the joint spaces," and "Just feel."

Ms Brower also took the time to incorporate certain phrases to strengthen healing in Newtown. She said, "On behalf of everyone in this community and the world, release all the misunderstanding and hate of any kind."

While in prayer pose, she asked everyone to think about "what a blessing it is to be part of the awareness and the shift of change." She also asked everyone to take the time to give thanks and honor community.

In attendance was certified yoga instructor Olivia Carbonell, who participated in Gwen Lawrence and Elena Brower's classes.

Reflecting upon the day, she said, "For me, the practice of yoga forces me to come back into my body. No matter where I am, I can always feel at home if I find my breath. Being reminded of this is what I loved most about the yoga festival. The ego is hushed, and I am humbled. I have obtained countless more tools and have placed them safely in my yoga toolbox. Exchanging the lighthearted smiles with fellow yogis is always rad too."