Yogis returned to Times Square in New York City on Friday (June 20) to practice their movement together and enjoy the summer solstice.

“Priceless, you tune everything out. It's magical,” said Janet Pichardo from Florida, who has attended the event every year “since 2019, 2018.”

"Solstice in Times Square: Mind over Madness Yoga" offers free yoga sessions throughout the day, with a variety of teachers and styles.

“Times Square, as you know, is the busiest place, I think, on the planet with many distractions and we wanted to see if it's possible to find peace in this place,” said “Solstice in Times Square: Mind over Madness Yoga” co-founder Douglass Stewart.

Stewart said when he started this event 23 years ago, there were only 3 participants. Today he said they are expecting 9000 people or so.

Patrick Regan attended the solstice yoga celebration for the first time with his wife.

“It's yoga, it's New York, and it's kind of a date for my wife and I,” he said.

Originating in India, yoga includes exercises, postures and meditation aimed to achieve physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

In 2014, the United Nations declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga after adopting a measure proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JUNE 20, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. BILLBOARD IN TIMES SQUARE SIGN READING (English): “LIVE. FIT. GO.” / PEOPLE PRACTICING YOGA IN TIMES SQUARE AS PART OF “SOLSTICE IN TIMES SQUARE: MIND OVER MADNESS YOGA” EVENT

2. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PRACTICING YOGA

3. CO-FOUNDER OF “SOLSTICE IN TIMES SQUARE: MIND OVER MADNESS YOGA”, DOUGLASS STEWART, INTRODUCED ON STAGE

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-FOUNDER OF “SOLSTICE IN TIMES SQUARE: MIND OVER MADNESS YOGA”, DOUGLASS STEWART, ON STAGE, SAYING:

“It's really wonderful to see you all and to come and celebrate the summer solstice. The sun is rising, rising, rising, moving forward and upward constantly, just as we are when we practice yoga.”

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-FOUNDER OF “SOLSTICE IN TIMES SQUARE: MIND OVER MADNESS YOGA”, DOUGLASS STEWART, SAYING:

“We came up with this idea of let's just see if we can bring yoga in Times Square to help everybody feel good. It was a pretty volatile time then in terms of politics and all of that still the same. And we thought that by bringing yoga in Times Square, it would help people to feel better.”

6. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PRACTICING YOGA IN TIMES SQUARE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-FOUNDER OF “SOLSTICE IN TIMES SQUARE: MIND OVER MADNESS YOGA”, DOUGLASS STEWART, SAYING:

“Times Square, as you know, is the busiest place, I think, on the planet with many distractions and we wanted to see if it's possible to find peace in this place that I live in New York City. And over the years, it has grown. That experiment is being conducted. People still come to Times Square. And you'll notice that over the course of time in the middle of a class, you'll find that people are starting to calm down. The nerves start to drain and you feel calm. And it's really peaceful here, even though there's lots of distractions here in the city.”

8. YOGA INSTRUCTOR

9. PEOPLE PRACTICING YOGA IN TIMES SQUARE

10.(SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-FOUNDER OF “SOLSTICE IN TIMES SQUARE: MIND OVER MADNESS YOGA”, DOUGLASS STEWART, SAYING:

“Well, the first time we started was just three of us. It was me, Tim Tompkins, the co-founder and one of my other students. We were right over there in the middle of the square. It was raining cats and dogs, so there were only three of us here. And then over the years, I think maybe the next year was 120 people. And then and then soon I think we are expecting 9000 people today or so.”

11. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PRACTICING YOGA IN TIMES SQUARE

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARTICIPANT JANET PICHARDO, FROM FLORIDA, SAYING:

“Well, I come every year. I’ve been coming since 2019, 2018, 19.”

13. PARTICIPANT JANET PICHARDO, FROM FLORIDA (CENTER WITH SUNGLASSES) PRACTICING YOGA IN TIMES SQUARE

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARTICIPANT JANET PICHARDO, FROM FLORIDA, SAYING:

REPORTER: “What do you think about doing Yoga in Times Square?”

PICHARDO: “Priceless, you tune everything out. It's magical.”

15. PARTICIPANT PATRICK REGAN FROM CONNECTICUT PRACTICING YOGA

16.(SOUNDBITE) (English) PARTICIPANT, PATRICK REGAN, FROM CONNECTICUT, SAYING:

‘When my wife and I started doing yoga about a year ago in our small town, and a friend of ours every year comes to Times Square, and he said it was a wonderful experience. And it's it's yoga, it's New York, and it's kind of a date for my wife and I.”

17. PARTICIPANT, PATRICK REGAN FROM CONNECTICUT PRACTICING YOGA

18.(SOUNDBITE) (English) PARTICIPANT, PATRICK REGAN, FROM CONNECTICUT, SAYING:

“I spent a lot of time in Manhattan over the past decade, so this is kind of the probably the most fun I would have had it outside. It's kind of a nice, refreshing change.”

19. PARTICIPANT ANUSHA SUNIL FROM NEW JERSEY, PRACTICING YOGA

20. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARTICIPANT, ANUSHA SUNIL FROM NEW JERSEY, SAYING:

“I've been attending for the past two years. Last year was the first time. I loved this summer solstice.”

21. PARTICIPANT ANUSHA SUNIL FROM NEW JERSEY, PRACTICING YOGA

22. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARTICIPANT, ANUSHA SUNIL FROM NEW JERSEY, SAYING:

“I want to be fit and healthy.”

23. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PRACTICING YOGA IN TIMES SQUARE