| MiddFest International 2004: Chile |
| Tuesday, September 21, 2004 8:57:58 AM - Middletown Ohio |
What: Middfest International 2004, Chile: the Land of Contrasts
Where: One Donham Plaza, Middletown, OH 45042
When: October 1, 2 and 3; beginning at 5pm on Friday - the Finale 6pm Sunday
After more than twenty years of practice and one full year of planning, Middfest International 2004 begins Friday, October 1. This highly successful event continues to teach, entertain and delight crowds in the ten's of thousands by taking them to a land unfamiliar and bringing it home to Middletown.
Middfest International 2004 celebrates Chile, the land of contrasts.
Friday, October 1st, on stage to kick off the Middfest International weekend will be Sasha Rionda, news anchor for Nuestro Rincon on Channel 12, WKRC. Rionda will be the Master of Ceremonies and making introductions of Chilean guests and Dignitaries at the opening ceremony of events beginning at 5pm.
Not only will Sasha be on hand to get the weekend off to a good start, all activities will be in full swing including food booths and the World Bazaar. The weekend is set to include cooking demonstrations beginning with a team of five renowned Executive Chefs from the country of Chile, plus, musical entertainment by The Southern Gateway Chorus.
Super Saturday begins registration at 9am and then at 10am for the round robin style performance, with kids of all ages encouraged to attend. Special events and shows will be presented all day. Celebrity guest will be spinning a tale or two and the Animal Center will be packed with Alpacas, Llamas and more. Spiderman will be making his appearance at 12:30 sharp.
The Columbus Zoo will have an exclusive Sunday, 1pm show presenting a one hour program on the wild animals of South American with a special emphasis on those native of Chile.
The Middfest International 2004 Bike Tour begins registration at 7am and continues until 9am, start time is at 8, for riders choosing to take a 32 mile, 62.5 or 100 mile trip. Cost is $15 per rider or $35 per family. Riders must be 18 years old or older unless accompanied by an adult. And, helmets are mandatory.
Scheduled throughout the weekend enjoy the fun with Chilean singer/song writer, Paula Monsalve; The Barefoot Hawaiians; the Ione Nash Dance Ensemble and the Heritage Drummers; Jim McCutcheon; Storyteller, Sue Young and more.
A very special exclusive US appearance will be made by the Ballet Folklorico Antumapu from the Universidad De Chile. Middfest International would like to acknowledge that Delta Airlines, Grayson Kirk Distinguished Lecture Grant, and, The Ohio Art Council are three of the appreciated sponsors of these performers. This large group of singers and dancers will travel the length of their homeland using festive ritual costumes and instruments to relate the country's story. Reaching from the most northern point to the southern tip of this long thin land and all aspects in between you will experience the historical importance, present conditions and future visions through the interpretive skills of this multi talented group.
The Literature Center will be located under tent and will become a Chilean Pena (the equivalent to coffee houses during the 60's and 70's in the US) each evening. The Pena will feature music and poetry from the new music movement before and during the, Pinochet regime. Prominent writer Marjorie Agosin will share her wisdom and converse with the audience, plus present her arpilleras (wall hangings) often called, The Art of the Resistance.
You will also need to schedule time to enjoy the thought provoking play; Death of a Maiden, by Ariel Dorfman and the only play written by Pablo Neruda, The Splendor and Death of Joaquin Murieta. Both plays will headline the Rising Phoenix Players of Middletown.
The work of four contemporary artists will line the exhibit halls. Included will be the art of Ruby Aranguiz. Aranguiz is the artist for the book cover of another Middfest guest, Marjorie Agosin. Both will be included throughout the weekend for conversation and question sessions.
There will be Chilean films, conversations on a variety of subjects, native artisans demonstrating in the culture exhibit, a park just for youths and much more.
Cost is only $5 per person for this three day weekend event. Check www.middfestinternational.org for most current information as it becomes available. Or, call the Middfest International office at 513-425-7707.
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