Adults and kids alike were drawn by the beautiful sunny weather, the music, and general good vibes at St. James Park in Fordham Manor on Saturday, Oct. 5, for the Annual Bronx Fit Fest.

 

The annual festival is an occasion for families to get some exercise in through fun and games, and to think about signing up for a range of fitness classes on offer at the recently opened St. James Park Recreation Center.

 

There were obstacle races, a giant Connect 4 game, table top games, a giant chess board game, monkey bars where kids were seen attempting numerous chin-ups, Zumba classes, and more.

There were also a range of organizations tabling at the event and sharing a wealth of information on fitness, healthy living, and nutrition. St. Senator Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) was also in attendance for the occasion.

 

We spoke to Shelly Wilson with Orisha Wholeness, a health and wellness organization, on the day. “We promote health and wellness for free via fun fitness classes,” Wilson said. “So, we do everything from Zumba to line dancing, and this is a perfect day for us to come here, because that’s what Shape-Up does.”

 

She continued, “So, today is a great day for just people to be outside, to be moving. We have the kids moving. We have classes for adults. So, it’s just a beautiful day, and it’s free event, which is so needed in The Bronx.”

 

Wilson estimated that at least 300 people showed up for the festival over the course of the day. “There are also events inside, there are classes inside and classes outside,” she said. “Then you have the kids coming through.”

 

We asked if there was a lot of interest by people signing up for classes. “Oh, yeah, definitely!” Wilson said. “I mean, I took a class as well. So, I took chair yoga, and I would take other classes, but I’m here tabling now.”

 

Asked what chair yoga was like, Wilson said, “It was really fun, yeah. It was fun and it was relaxing. It was allowing you to stretch your body parts, and if you had any limitations, you know, it was perfect for you, because it was a regular yoga class before, and then they had the chair yoga.”

Other classes are offered by NYC Parks and by Shape Up NYC, and since the reopening of St. James Recreation Center during the summer, are on offer through the fall and winter.

 

Norwood News will share fliers for the various classes and events on our social media as we receive them and in our regular Out & About listings.

 

Click here to view a short video of the Bronx Fit Fest.