When Ohio’s #1 Multi-Cultural festival sets up shop June 29-July 1, at RiverScape MetroPark 700+ volunteers will be helping make it go and your donation at the entrance and onsite will be a key piece. While festivals continue to materialize throughout the summer months, this one, begun as the three year run of National Folk Festival in 1996, remains unique and completely dependent on community participation. The festival will take place between 6 and 11 pm on Friday, and 1-11 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The City of Dayton fireworks, the region’s largest, will cap the event on Sunday night at 10 p.m.
The festival will feature music from across America and around the world on this year’s Main Stage, located in the MetroParks Pavilion. Among the Main Stage artists featured will be bluegrass star Rhonda Vincent, the newly formed Royal Southern Brotherhood featuring Devon Allman, Cyril Neville and Mike Zito and a Sunday showcase for Dayton’s own Shoefly. A spacious dance floor situated at 1st and Patterson Streets will feature wild bhangra funk from Red Baraat, African and Caribbean sounds from Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca and Louisiana’s queens of Cajun and country, Bonsoir Catin.
Culture Builds Community (CBC) has become a centerpiece of Cityfolk’s year round effort and the CBC Family Funway, located at the intersection of St. Clair and Monument streets, will be brimming with activities that reflect the spirit of this initiative. Photo portraits of kids, ready to be framed with K12 Gallery artists, passport stations for each of five Latino countries and an interactive story stage with Zoo Beezoo Beezoo Story Works. The whole family can enjoy the group mosaic project with K12 Gallery, African, Bhangra and Bollywood dance classes and performances by Stiver’s Dancers and the The People’s Music.
Latino Ohio will showcase a vast range of artists, highlighting Mexican mural traditions, music and paper cut art, Puerto Rican mask making, Latino food traditions and much more. Latino Ohio is curated by Juan Dies, leader of the Grammy-nominated Mexican band Sones de Mexico, who will be performing throughout the festival site over the course of the weekend. The exhibit will include a workshop stage that offers a chance for festival attendees to learn about the artists, the traditions they represent and their methods. Latino Ohio hours will be 1-7 pm on Saturday and 1-6 pm on Sunday
Room With A View tickets are available for festivalgoers who are looking for prime seating near the Main Stage, easy access to beverages, a parking pass and other amenities.
An international beer garden will be located on Dragon’s plaza and delicious food will be on sale throughout the festival site.
To register as a volunteer, see a complete schedule and full listing of performing and Latino Ohio artists, directions, a map and other information visit cityfolk.org.
Photo Credit: Andy Snow
