NEWTON, MA—The town of Newton is hosting an ethnic heritage festival on Sunday, May 8, in Newton, MA, at Newton City Hall Grounds, located at 1000 Commonwealth Avenue. If it rains, the festival will move inside the City Hall. The day-long event is free to all attendees. The festival will have craft vendors, Indian, Thai and Mexican food, henna, face painting, Tai-Chi and Chinese calligraphy demonstration, fun games and activities.
Enjoy a special Mother’s Day, come watch exciting performances by multiple ethnic groups, including Indian, Chinese, Ugandan, Vietnamese, Italian, Jewish, and even some Flamenco dance!
For Indian entertainment: Traditional dances will be showcased by dancers from three prominent schools in the New England area including Newton’s own Sunanda Narayanan’s students of Thillai Fine Arts Academy performing Bhartanatyam, Odissi by Mouli Pal’s Upasana School and a folk dance by Jasmine Shah’s Aangikam Dance Academy. Looking for verve and vigor join MIT’s Bhangra and the Bollywood-inspired Zumba dancing by Param Roychoudury.
Enjoy the brilliance of young South Indian violinists from Tara Bangalore’s Anubhava school of music, Indian beats by students of Gaurish Chandrasekhar and Rajesh Pai Kalsanka in a Rhythmic Ensemble. Appreciate the talent of Newton’s Vocal and Instrumental Ensemble singing a special composition by Smt. Sujatha Vijayaraghavan and the enthusiasm of Newton Bal Vihar’s chorus.
All are welcome to join the Indo American Youth Group volunteers and families from the city of Newton to celebrate India’s colorful and vibrant culture by painting and coloring spectacular Indian folk art murals welcoming spring to Newton.
If you are a sari-wearer or have been gifted one by a relative, come and audio record the story of your saris or you may want to just share your special regional sari wearing style at the same booth “Journeys with your saris”.
These two projects are conceptualized and directed by Lakshmi Narayan Kadambi in collaboration with the Mayor’s office of Cultural Affairs, City of Newton, as a launch for her program Thinkfolk, connecting communities through the arts.
For the sports enthusiast, IAYG volunteers will also help run Indian carrom games and cricket.
Newton is celebrating three months of Arts and Culture through the Festival of the Arts. Visit www.newtoncommunitypride.org/festival for a full schedule.
Outdoor Festival Schedule – May 8th
10:00 Ugandan Women’s Association International
10:30 Jewish Musical Theatre Firelech – Anna Kravets
11:00 Young Talent Studio Lucky 10 – Anna Kravets
11:30 Newton Chinese Language School – Helen Cao
12:00 American Chinese Art Society – Jade Lin
12:30 Bharatanatyam classical Indian dance by students of Sunanda Narayanan’s “Thillai Fine Arts Academy”
Odissi classical Indian dance by students of Mouli Pal’s “Upasana” school for Odissi dance
Rajasthani folk dance by students of Jasmine’s Shah’s “Aangikam Dance Academy”
MIT Bhangra Team – Indian Dance
1:00 Newton Balvihar Singers
Newton Vocal and Instrumental Ensemble
South Indian Carnatic Classical Violinists from Tara Bangalore’s Anubhava Music School
Indian Rhythmic Ensemble – by students of Gaurish Chandrashekhar and Rajesh Pai Kalsanka
2:00 Param Roychoudhury -Zumba inspired Bollywood dance
2:30 Kahol Lavan – Israeli Dance Troupe
3:00 Pazzi Lazzi – Italian Renaissance music – Chiara Durazzini
3:30 CDVN Vietnamese American Community of MA – Khang Nguyen
4:00 Yosi Karahashi – Flamenco
4:30 New England Conservatory Jewish Music Ensemble – Hankus Netsky
