Time for bending and stretching as yoga festival comes around again

A quick heads-up: you can expect a lot of people to get bent out of shape next Sunday. The good thing is most of them should also be calm and meditative. That's because the Hong Kong Yoga Fest will be taking place August 19 on the sixth floor of the Sheung Wan Civic Centre.

Organised since 2003 by Ruby Ong of the New Age bookstore Reflections, this year's event promises to be bigger and more flexible.

'We've changed the format a bit this year,' Ong explained. 'Instead of people sitting and listening to talks, we've allocated two halls, so it's much more of an experiential thing than just watching.'

In short, there will be 12 different sessions throughout the day to encourage you to bring your mat and stretchy yoga gear. They range from advanced Hatha yoga to Pranayama for beginners. In addition, there'll be display tables featuring yoga accessories, books, DVDs, incense, health supplements and more. 'The Hare Krishnas will also provide vegetarian food,' Ong added.

Tickets are HK$150 but discounts are offered for two at HK$240 and HK$500 for five people. Space is limited, so call 25120347 or 25041333. The Sheung Wan Civic Centre is at 345 Queen's Road Central, Sheung Wan.