Solstice in Times Square: Athleta Mind Over Madness Yoga

AMAZING! what a great experience! Doing yoga with hundreds, thousands of people in one of the busiest zones in NYC! This event is completely free and attendees get to a get complementary yoga mat. But if you can please donate to support this so it can continue to grow. Happy international yoga day!
The only thing was it started pouring during the last session yesterday.

A little late on this review but better late than never. This was my first year at Solstice and all I can say is. it was AMAZING! I mean. how many times can you say you did savasana in the middle of Times Square? I could probably pull off other yoga poses but it’s always so damn hectic in Times Square lol! And really. what better way to start your summer?!
I highly recommend signing up for their emails in advance so you can get a notification on when they are releasing the class schedule (this year they had 7 classes starting from 5:30AM — 9:15 PM). Class registration on EventBrite fills up pretty quickly and eventually there are no spots left. However, I did notice that some spots did open up later on probably because people realized they could not make it to the event and cancelled their registration. Just sign up early! There’s no harm it in and it will guarantee you a spot.
Get here early too! Upon arrival, they check your Eventbrite ticket and then you go on and get your mat (this year it was coral/​light purple color) and a goodie bag! All for free :) After that, the staff will guide you on where to go so you can place your mat.
I came with some of my girls (some who don’t do yoga normally) and we all had a blast! It’s such a great bonding experience and it was really nice to do something different with them. I would say the classes were beginner level so anyone can do it. Because of the noise level, it’s not as meditative as it would be in a normal class setting but there’s just something awesome about thousands of people doing yoga with you at the same time. I can’t wait for next year’s event!
Oh and don’t forget to visit the yoga village after your class — more free goodies! :)

Free yoga, free goodies, and an unparalleled opportunity to experience peace in Times Square (though I’d imagine that it was a nightmare traffic-​wise!)
Some things to know:
1) You can’t sign up for all the classes. Sorry, you can only pick one. Definitely pre-​register!
2) Get there early! If you want a mat and good placement, that is. (I also got free nail polish, yoga studio coupons, a luna bar, Zico passionfruit coconut water and a bunch of magazines).
3) Oriented more towards beginners.
4) Not only will there be tons of gawkers (um it’s Times Square … I don’t know what I was expecting), but there will also be professional photographers and a live webcast. I did NOT know that. Thankfully I’ve gotten over being camera-​shy and bad at yoga, but one of my friends freaked out at the idea. The live stream is actually still available online, if you want to check yourself out.
5) Get the Eventbrite app (even if just temporarily) to do a mobile check-​in instead of print it out on paper.
6) $ 20 suggested donation for yoga charities!
I loved my Summer Solstice bikram yoga (11:30−1:00pm) experience, but I really do wish that I had signed up with friends. Unlike Bryant Park yoga (or many of the other free outdoor yoga opportunities in the city), it seems to be more of a bonding, exulting public experience than a personal meditative experience. I still really got a lot out of my session and it was very well-​taught, but I felt my aloneness very strongly. There’s the line for checking in (I got there at 10:30am by accident), where everyone is excitedly chatting to each other, and there are the thousands of selfies right before it starts. Then again, if you’re a true yogi, none of that would matter. :p
Overall, I’d totally recommend Summer Solstice — can’t wait for next year’s event!

Soooo this was awesome, relaxing, inspiring, and free. My friend came from Chicago to do this yoga series. While she decided to do it all day, I had already signed up for the 1pm Bikram Yoga class (in my mind the only way to do yoga is heated). I almost didn’t go because being in the middle of times sq. instead of a yoga studio sort of threw me off but then I thought, meh just live!
The Yoga solstice is an annual event that offers free yoga classes throughout the day. Pre-​registration was opened a month or two before the event. I learned you don’t have to rsvp but it would be wise to do so that you can get a space. The first 1200 hundred people to check in for each class were given free mats, gift bags, and bottled water. I clearly knew I wasn’t going to be in the first 1200 people sooo I brought my own mat and water. Luckily my pal saved me a spot. The weather felt like it was on safari and I got the deepest tan ever but the instructors were great and I felt so relaxed and calm afterwards.
Thank you Athleta!

Free mat from Athleta for the first 1500 people in each session; 4 sessions total. We pre-​registered on the website. You can only register for one session.
When else would you ever get a chance to lie down in the middle of Times Square without getting arrested?

40,000 yogi’s in Times Square posing on their heads and arms? Sign me up! What was closer to Hatha, turned into Bikram quickly on the hottest day of the year! Summer Solstice eat your heart out! And? I got a free mat and goodies, for working out. Where else can you do this other than NYC– the best city on earth!

Annual outdoor yoga event at Times Square during summer solstice! It’s free and you get a mat if you’re the first 1,500 people.
I went to the evening session and I felt like the instructor was doing some strange yoga moves. that weren’t really yoga moves… one of the poses were called «O-​M-​G»… what kind of yoga pose is O-​M-​G?!? I mean I guess it was all for fun to just be able to do this outside in Times Square. But if you’re expecting a real yoga session, I suggest you attend the afternoon Bikram session (since they are set poses) instead of the evening session with instructor Dana.