Yoga in the Park, Game Cart Return to Woodruff Park
May 23, 2023
One of Downtown Atlanta’s favorite outdoor events is in full swing. Yoga in the Park happens every Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in Woodruff Park. The free community event, now in its third year, features a robust lineup including monthly sound baths and the new class “Fight & Flow,” a hybrid workout that combines yoga, mobility training, and martial arts. Classes are led by a rotating list of teachers from the community yoga program AMADOR.
“Yoga in Woodruff Park gives residents a rare chance to slow down amid the bustle of our daily lives and connect with other members of the community,” said Wilma Sothern, Vice President of Marketing at Central Atlanta Progress and Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, who partner with AMADOR on the event. “Starting your weekend with exercise and fellowship is a truly unique way to feel refreshed and rejuvenated.”
AMADOR is a community yoga program founded in 2019 by yoga teacher Malik Khalid rooted in advancing access to yoga and mindfulness through free and reduced programming. AMADOR uses a pop-up model to accelerate its reach through grassroots programming while promoting more positive, inclusive images of people of color in yoga and wellness.
An Atlanta native, Malik said leading and organizing weekly classes in the Atlanta Downtown community has been a dream come true. “The ability to accelerate access to yoga and activate Woodruff Park with mindful activities is important to me,” Malik said. “It’s an honor to give back to the community that has raised and inspired me to reach for higher heights.”
Since founding AMADOR in 2019, Malik has collaborated with the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, My Black is Beautiful, and more. Malik also serves as co-chair of District Attorney Fani T. Willis’s LGBTQ+ Task Force and is a Lululemon Ambassador.
Yoga isn’t the only attraction in Woodruff Park this summer. The park’s Game Cart is a wholesome, technology-free experience, offering free activities to do with friends and colleagues. Made possible by a “Heart of the Community” grant from Southwest Airlines, the Game Cart is chock full of a variety of games that the public can check out and use in the park. It’s located at the south end of the park, near the gazebo, and all games are free to play. Park staff monitor the Game Cart’s inventory and assist park visitors with checking out supplies to be used in the gaming area by the gazebo or on the park’s main lawn.
The Game Cart features a wide range of activities for your club, organization, office, team or group. From board games to field and recreational games, the cart also offers ways to keep score, get creative, and organize a tournament.
See a full schedule for the Woodruff Park Game Cart and Free Yoga in the Park below:
Woodruff Park Game Cart Schedule
June 1st through August 27th
Fridays from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Please note hours will change in August.
Free Yoga in Woodruff Park Schedule
Saturdays through September 30th
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
To learn more, visit AtlantaDowntown.com/GameCart and AtlantaDowntown.com/Yoga.
About Woodruff Park: Originally known as Central City Park in the 1970s, Woodruff Park was created through a generous donation from Robert W. Woodruff, former president of The Coca-Cola Company. Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Atlanta, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) maintains stewardship of Woodruff Park. ADID is responsible for the park’s daily upkeep and programming, as well as securing and implementing funding for its future development. The park offers visitors a variety of recreation stations and facilities scattered throughout its beautifully manicured six acres. Fore more information, visit WoodruffPark.com.