First-ever 'Yoga Fest' promotes movement, healthy lifestyle

Participants in a Yoga class at Yoga Fest in Barrie, Ont. on Sat., August 10, 2024. (Source: Supplied/Jim Tremble)

Meridian Place was the site of the first-ever yoga festival in Barrie, which aimed to teach participants about the movements their bodies are capable of and steps they could take toward living a healthier lifestyle.

More than 500 people participated in the day-long event on Saturday, which offered eight different forms of yoga, pilates, and meditation classes, all free of charge.

"I think there's a big need for it," said Jim Tremble, the event's organizer, in a phone interview with CTV News. "Classes are expensive and at capacity, and a lot of people are feeling the need to exercise." He adds that memberships for yoga studios in the Downtown area regularly cost more than $100 per month.

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Tremble also struggled with his weight leading up to the pandemic and was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, a painful medical condition that activates pain sensors without actual pain being present. He says yoga helped him lose weight and manage his episodes of pain.

"I lost 76 pounds, I cured a brain aneurism and dropped my trigeminal neuralgia incident rate by 90 percent," recalled Tremble. "For three years, people took care of me, so now I want to give something back."

Tremble hopes his story can inspire others to live an active lifestyle and that advertising from this year's Yoga Festival could help it grow for next year.