Whether one is looking for some fresh air, fun with some furry friends, enjoying a cold beverage or getting in some needed stretching, Event Yoga has quickly become a must for many in the 209.

Certified Yoga Instructors and Event Yoga Teachers Stephannie Schmit and Brittnie King not only share a love of teaching, they each share a love for bringing yoga to a varied student base by way of events.

While the instructors operate separately of one another, Schmit a teacher with Studio V Pilates and King leading at Elevate Community Yoga, Modesto yoga studios, they also lead a variety of yoga events throughout the 209.

“It’s approachable,” King stated about what makes event yoga different. “Event yoga is approachable for anybody. Yoga can be intimidating. It’s only a couple times of year, that’s something you can commit to. You’re not committing to a weekly class, yet. That’s the biggest thing is how accommodating it is to any schedule.”

“I love doing events. It’s probably my favorite,” Schmit shared, noting first starting in her backyard with friends close to five years ago.

“I tried to think of creative ways to bring people together,” she continued.

For Schmit those “creative” ways resulted in recurring practices of Alpaca Yoga at Macedo Mini Acre in Turlock, as well Beer Yoga at Five Eye Brewery in Ceres and Dying Breed Brewery in Oakdale.

Upcoming events at two of the locations will be Saturday, April 22 at Dying Breed and May 12 and 13 at Macedo Mini Acre.

“It’s a great location. It’s so beautiful,” Schmit said of Macedo Mini Acre and the alpacas. “It’s the most unique experience you’ve ever had. You just have to come with no expectations, because you’re in the dirt, you’re on a farm.”

Of the two events she will host with the alpacas in May, one will be a “wine down” event in the evening, while the other will be a sip and stretch the following morning. Alpaca classes accommodate 50 people.

Schmit explained the alpacas are gentle creatures and may approach and interact with participants during the 40-minute class.

Each of the two teachers, sharing a love of beer and yoga, partner with different breweries to host events.

“It’s the funnest day ever. If you’ve never done yoga and you like beer, it’s the best class to go to,” King said.

King, who also started teaching event yoga in her backyard six years ago, shared her interest stemmed from partnering initially with her husband who has a passion as a home brewer. The couple would host tastings, while King led a yoga class through a flight of brew.

That eventually blossomed to King partnering with Blaker Brewery where she now exclusively leads beer as well as goat yoga. While her goat yoga classes are hosted at Blaker Brewing – The Tarmac in Atwater, she also hosts some beer yoga events at the Ceres Blaker location.

“Most of my classes we do a gentle flow, but the main focus is the drink,” King said. “So you’re enjoying the beer while doing yoga.”

Adding adventure and playfulness to the mix can be done through the addition of goats.

“It’s just an ambience, like Stephannie does with the alpacas,” King said, explaining that eight to 10 goats are brought to The Tarmac by a handler.

“You’re basically doing yoga, while drinking a beer with goats running around,” she continued.

Her classes tend to run between 45 to 50 minutes once attendees are settled in. King’s next beer yoga class will be at Blaker Brewing in Ceres on May 7 and her next goat yoga event will be hosted at The Tarmac May 21.

“It gives a new yogi a chance to try yoga,” Schmit said of the appeal and benefit of event yoga, sharing it’s inviting and not the same pressure of a yoga studio. “I just feel so joyful to bring people into a new environment to try something new and get a friend to try something new.

“If it brings them joy, then it brings me joy,” she continued. “The energy that everybody brings. They’re coming with such positive energy and it’s contagious.”

“Anyone who says I’m not flexible enough for yoga are exactly who should try yoga, because that’s what happens over time,” King added. “You stretch your muscles to guide your body to help bend so you don’t break.”

It is something truly for everyone to try, she said.

“The event yoga is just widely approachable and that I think is the best part. What I love about it, is it’s accommodating,” King concluded. “You don’t have to know how to do yoga to attend event yoga. Event yoga allows you to show up and do what works for you and your body. Even sit and watch while you drink your beer.”

Event yoga prices range from $30 to $65 depending on the event and its offerings. Details on listed events and upcoming classes may be found on Event Brite or the teachers’ Instagram pages: schmiiit and cudownie_kingsthings.