Did you know…

Nyack is where it all began… well, at least in part!

Yoga is an ancient practice with roots in India that brings together movement, breath, meditation and mindfulness. In the early 20th century, yoga was brought to the US by Indian gurus looking to share the practice with the west. The beautiful riverside village of Nyack holds a distinctive place in the story of yoga's growth in the United States. Beginning in 1920, pioneering yoga teacher Pierre Bernard made Nyack home to the Clarkstown Country Club, where he taught yoga, physical conditioning, breathing and meditation for decades. Bernard became an influential early advocate for yoga in America, while his wife and teaching partner, Blanche DeVries, helped carry that tradition forward. DeVries later taught Paula Heitzner, who has taught yoga in Nyack for nearly five decades. 

Today, Rockland YogaFest continues that tradition by bringing yoga into the heart of the community. Launched in 2025 by Naomi Camilleri, founder and owner of Playful Yogi Space, in partnership with District Hot Yoga, Jamie Surya Yoga Studio and Peace in Piermont, the daylong free festival brings together local yoga studios, instructors, families and residents from Rockland County and beyond for movement, mindfulness and connection along the Hudson River. By removing cost and experience as barriers to participation, Rockland YogaFest creates an opportunity for longtime practitioners, first-time participants, children and families to experience yoga together!