Namaste and suds: Annual Brew-seum to include yoga and beer event for first time

Yoga paired with beer may seem like a stretch, but local instructor Jackelin Treviño promises it can be fun.

“It is going to be a really light and playful practice,” Treviño said about the yoga and beer sessions that are a part of the International Museum of Arts & Science’s Beers and Brunch event Sunday in McAllen.

Treviño said participants will be interacting with the beer cans. Yes, you will be drinking while performing yoga poses. And, as soon as you hear “Namaste,” you can rush over to the food trucks to take care of that appetite you worked up. And have even more craft beer if you like.

Beers and Brunch takes place the morning after the IMAS’ A Night at the Brew-seum, a fundraiser in which visitors will be able to try an array of craft beer and food and enjoy live music from country recording artists The Powell Brothers. The left-over beer from Saturday is then sold for $3 from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday on the museum grounds. There will also be food trucks to make for a brunch-oriented, family friendly event.

This year, organizers added beer and yoga sessions to the mix, joining a growing trend of pairing the two. If you think about it, people drink beer for similar reasons they take up yoga — for relaxation and stress relief. No one is sure how the pairing got started, but it first became popular in Germany.

“If you are a person who likes craft beer and likes to have a good time, this session would be good for you,” Treviño said.

The yoga instructor, however, warns against drinking during every practice.

“A once-in-awhile, unique experience to celebrate spring or this great event, it can a lot of fun,” Treviño said. “I wouldn’t advocate you drink beer every time you do yoga. It is a very different type of experience.”

Yoga will be free and open to anyone willing to give it a try. Yoga can be daunting for beginners, but a cold craft beer could be a perfect motivation for a novice to get through a session.

“If you have never done yoga before and you come to this session, you can expect to play with your balance and challenge yourself to see what your body can do,” Treviño said. “It is not going to be as strenuous as a regular yoga class might be because we are actually going to be interacting with the beer.”

And it’s for a good cause. All the proceeds from both Saturday and Sunday go to the museum. Brew-seum is the museum’s second largest fundraiser and is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

“This helps the museum bring in engaging exhibits,” said IMAS President and Executive Director Serena Pandos. “… We would like to think that our museum is an important part of our community as far as improving quality of life for people who are moving in from out of town or who already live here.”

Brew and Brunch is free to attend Sunday. There are still tickets available for Saturday’s 10th annual Night at the Brew-seum. For tickets and information, call (956) 681-2800.

WHAT: A Night at the Brew-seum

WHEN: 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: International Museum of Arts & Science, 1900 Nolana Ave., McAllen

COST: Prices range from $40 to $1000

CONTACT: (956) 681-2800

WHAT: Beers and Brunch

WHEN: Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: International Museum of Arts & Science, 1900 Nolana Ave., McAllen

COST: Free