City officials will host the inaugural wellness event at Roxbury Park on Sept. 10. (photo courtesy of the city of Beverly Hills)

On Sunday, Sept. 10, Beverly Hills residents and visitors can head to Roxbury Park for a day of yoga classes, therapeutic coloring sessions and mental health workshops as part of the inaugural Beverly Hills Day of Wellness.

“The vision is to bring a health and wellness event to Roxbury Park to provide complimentary sessions to the public,” human services administrator Christopher Paulson said during the Aug. 1 City Council meeting.

Paulson said the event was conceived by Human Relations Commission Chair Noelle Freeman at a March commission meeting, and it builds upon the city’s previous wellness programming, including a weekly video series in May.

Some of the activities under discussion include a hypnosis drum circle, Tai Chi and yoga, though organizers also want to provide resources for social media safety, teen mental health issues and nutritional wellbeing, Paulson said.

He added that the event is being coordinated in close collaboration with community partners including Maple Counseling, NormanAid and BulldogAid – wellness programs at Beverly Hills High School and Beverly Vista Middle School, respectively – and Beverly Hills Community Farm, as well as regional partners like Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and the National Alliance for Mental Illness.

“We would of course notify all the neighbors, and we have a robust marketing plan … that would involve press releases in print and online, social media and our variety of newsletters,” Paulson said.

The council was unanimously supportive of the event, though some council members had questions.

Councilwoman Sharona Nazarian asked if the Traffic and Parking Commission could host a booth with information about the changes on Coldwater Cañon Drive, which have been a stressor to some residents.

She also emphasized the need to look at social media safety and caregiver stress, and stressed that there should be strong outreach to the city’s elderly population.

“Promoting a healthy city is at our core,” Nazarian said.

The event lasts from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Roxbury Park is located at 471 S. Roxbury Drive.