Yoga on the Steps, Marathon Relay, PLAY Manayunk — And More Fit Fun in Our Weekend Guide

Yoga on the Steps | Photo by Sergiy Barchuk

It’s another jam-packed weekend of fitness here in Philly, with options for cyclists, runners, yogis, dancers and more. Below, our picks for what to do.  

1. Bike to Work Day
When: Friday, May 15th
Where: Um, everywhere!

National Bike to Work Day returns on Friday with local bike groups planning special events throughout the city. Philly’s new bike share program, Indego, is celebrating with a sweet deal: 30-minute rides for walk-up customers that cost $1. The Bicycle Coalition will be handing out snacks at Energizer Stations around town, while Hotel Monaco is teaming up with Keswick Cycles for free bike tuneups. Info on all of these events can be found here.

2. Yoga on the Steps
When: Sunday, May 17th from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Fairmount.

This feel-good day of yoga, which involves a massive outdoor class on the Art Museum steps, benefits Bala Cynwyd-based Living Beyond Breast Cancer. The yoga class, which runs from 9:30 to 10:45, is geared toward all levels, but you need to bring your own mat. In addition to the class, there is a Healthy Living Expo with vendors and sponsors handing out swag and freebies. It’s $20 to register through May 15th, when online registration closes. It’s $40 to register at the event.

3. PLAY Manayunk
When: Saturday, May 16th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Venice Island Performing Arts & Recreation Center, 7 Lock Street, Manayunk.

Manayunk will celebrate fun and fitness this weekend with its annual PLAY Manayunk festival. The event includes nature hikes, yoga classes, kayak and dragon boat rides, dance lessons, old-school kid’s games, crafts, food trucks, music and more. At 1 p.m., the folks at Never Give Up Personal Training are teaming up with New Balance King of Prussia to organize a Guinness World Record Challenge, enlisting as many people as possible to break the record for the most people doing simultaneous sit-ups. Philadelphia Runner is also getting in on the fun with three trail runs leaving at 10 a.m., noon and 4 p.m. from Venice Island; they’ll be between three and five miles long. The last run of the day will be a Run to Happy Hour group run, ending at PR’s Manayunk shop for drinks and discounts.

4. Manayunk Mile
When: Saturday, May 16th at 8:15 a.m.
Where: Main Street and Shurs Lane, Manayunk.

Think of this speedy run as the appetizer to PLAY Manayunk. The one-mile race heads straight down Main Street and finishes at the festival’s HQ, Venice Island. Winnie’s LeBus will be handing out post-race breakfast goodies, and Manayunk Brewery will be sampling beers for participating adults. It’s $25 to register; day-of registration will take place at Manayunk Brewery from 7 to 8:05 a.m.

5. Phillies Charities Bike Ride
When: Sunday, May 17th.
Where: Starts and ends at Citizens Bank Park.

This first-time event features a 25-mile ride through Philly. It’s open to participants ages 13 and up, but you need to be able to keep speed between 10 and 15 miles per hour. Police will lead the pack of riders through city streets with rolling street closures. Cyclists will get an official Phillies Charities Bike Ride cycling jersey, a voucher for four tickets to a Phillies vs. Rockies game in May, and a 20 percent discount at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Citizens Bank Park. It’s $100 to participate, and registration closes today (May 14th) at 5 p.m.

6. West Philly Runners’s 26.2 x 1 Mile Marathon Relay
When: Sunday, May 17th from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where: Fairmount Park Horticulture Center, 100 North Horticultural Drive, West Fairmount Park.

The West Philly Runners’s marathon relay challenge returns for its fourth year. Teams of 13 runners will tackle a 26-mile run, one mile at a time. Each runner will take on two (non-consecutive) laps of a one-mile route, with one runner completing the final 0.2 mile carrying a torch. The event benefits the Fairmount Park Conservancy. You can sign up as an individual or a team. It’s $5 for individuals or $65 for teams.

7. Broadway Lights Dance Workshop
When: Saturday, May 16 from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Where: Philly Dance Fitness, 1170 South Broad Street, South Philly.

Channel your inner theater nerd (Don’t worry — I’m one, too.) for this dance workshop set to Broadway favorites. The soundtrack will feature hits from shows coming through Philly, including tunes from The Lion King, as well as Broadway classics. Prior dance or theater experience is not required. It’s $25 to participate.

8. Meet the Farmer at Agno Grill
When: Sunday, May 17th from 4 to 6 p.m.
Where: Agno Grill, 2104 Chestnut Street, Rittenhouse.

Lehigh-based Red Earth Farm will be setting up shop at Agno Grill this weekend for a farm-to-table meal, featuring greens from the farm, and a presentation about how the food is produced. It’s $16 to participate.

9. Vinyasa Yoga for Parents
When: Friday, May 15th from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Where: Nest, 1300 Locust Street, Midtown Village.

Shanti Yoga Shala is running two express 25-minute yoga classes geared toward parents at Nest’s Philly location on Friday. The flowing sequences will focus on building strength and flexibility, while enhancing respiration and circulation. The idea is to equip parents with a simple, quick sequence of poses they can do while their kids nap or play at home.  No yoga experience is necessary. It’s $15 to participate, and babysitting will be available for $7.

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