The Yoga Show – 28-30 October

So, quick question – who reading has ever been to a yoga class, in any of its forms? Hatha, Ashtanga, Bikram, or perhaps (and I know yoga purists will purse their lips at this, but I’m going to include it anyway) Pilates? My guess is that it would be most of you, at one point or another. I once did Bikram Yoga, otherwise known as Hot Yoga.

For the last ten or so years, the popularity of yoga has exploded in the UK. Zillions of forums and websites discuss the intricacies of yoga in depth. Groups of women are actually able to talk earnestly and straight-faced about the Downward-Facing Dog, which only goes to show how much our society has been changed by the yoga phenomenon – I can’t think of anyone I know who wouldn’t have sniggered a bit at that when we were younger.

With all this passion and zeal, it shouldn’t be at all surprising that Olympia, home to events of every possible description, hosts The Yoga Show every October. This long weekend, going from 28-30 October, incorporates every aspect of yoga you could imagine: demonstrations, free classes, reflexology, one-to-one equipment sessions, children’s yoga, a charity bringing yoga to prisons and stalls from over 200 exhibitors for every piece of yoga paraphernalia you can imagine.

The show is a good opportunity to either meet and bond with other yoga enthusiasts if you’re already a convert, or to learn a bit more about it in a hands-on way if you’ve only ever heard your friends go on about it in a slightly manic way. There are loads of free classes to sign up for of varying yoga styles, so you can find out which works for you.

If it sounds a bit too at-one-with-nature, know that there are many trying to introduce yoga fusions with music, dance and even hip-hop, and there are workshops available demonstrating this. So there should be a little bit of something for everyone! Oh, and there’s a restaurant serving all three meals of the day, and it should come as no surprise that it’s all very healthy fare, so either embrace it and feel good about yourself, or bring cookies.

The Yoga Show takes place in the National Hall, a huge Victorian space with loads of natural daylight, and runs for three days, from 11am until 6pm on the Friday and with an earlier start time of 10am until 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. A full price adult day pass is £9 for Friday and £12 for Saturday or Sunday, and concessions are £6 and £10 respectively. A two-day pass is £20 with a concession price of £16 and if you plan on going all-out for a three-day mission then the tickets are £27 or £22 concession price.

The Yoga Show
The National Hall
Olympia
Hammersmith Road
Kensington
W14 8UX

Tel: 020 7385 1200