World's a Stage at Multicultural Festival

Music, art and culture from all overt the world returns to on Sept. 22 with the annual Reston Multicultural Festival.

The event begins at 11 a.m. with a naturalization ceremony, where some of America’s newest citizens will take the Oath of Allegiance. The event runs until 6 p.m., and is free and open to the public.

The World Stage, Global Stage, and Jo Ann Rose Gallery will feature an all-day series of performances representing many of the world’s cultures. Among them: Spanish, Persian, Uzbek, Indian, Chinese, and Burmese dances.

The Traveling Players Ensemble also returns to the along with a series of book readers and storytellers. There will also be an array of arts and crafts activities for the entire family. Attendees can enjoy culturally diverse foods at the Global Café or shop in the Global Market and take home a memento from artisans’ work from neighboring lands. 

New at this year’s festival is the first annual Multicultural Book Fair. The fair will highlight books suggested by authors who have appeared at the CenterStage Reston Community Center, Reston educators, and award winning books written by authors with a variety of cultural perspectives.

As part of the Festival, Reston Community Center Lake Anne is featuring Art Mirrors Culture, the Reston Multicultural Festival Intergenerational Art Exhibit. The Exhibit, currently on display at the Jo Ann Rose Gallery and 3-D Gallery, runs through Sept. 30. It features works from local artists who were asked how art mirrors culture in their work. On the day of the festival, the 3-D Gallery will also feature sand paintings by Reston artist Marco Rando.

 WORLD STAGE 

(Please Note: Performers and times are subject to change)

11:00 a.m.

Festival Welcome

   Beverly Cosham 

Chair, RCC Board of Governors 

   Ken Kneuven 

President, Reston Association 

   Catherine M. Hudgins 

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors 

   Sharon Bulova

Chair, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Naturalization Ceremony

12:30 p.m.

H.K. Lee Tae Kwon Do Academy

Korean Martial Arts

1:05 p.m.

Nomad Dancers

Persian, Uzbek, Gypsy, Uighur, Azeri, Tajik Dances

1:45 p.m.

Northern Virginia Ukulele Ensemble

Hawaiian music

2:30 p.m.

Michael Keale

Hawaiian music and dance

3:15 p.m.

Kalavaridhi Dance

Indian Classical Dance

4:00 p.m.

Summertime Music Club

Chinese Opera and Dance

5:00 p.m.

Oasis

Reggae

GLOBAL STAGE 

12:15 p.m.

Step Afrika!

A Dance Tradition Created by African American College Students

1:15 p.m.

Furia Flamanca

Spanish Dance

2:00 p.m.

Shaolin Temple USA

Chinese Martial Arts and Spiritual Wellness

2:45 p.m.

Khinezin Thu Win

Burmese (Myanmar) Dance

3:15 p.m.

Gin Dance Company

Asian influenced modern dance

4:00 p.m.

Solomian and Andrei

Kaleidoscope of World Music

4:45 p.m.

Nrityaki Dance

Indian Classical Dance

RCC LAKE ANNE

12:30 p.m.

Traveling Players “The Blue Monster” by Carlos Gazzi

2:00 p.m.

Diane Macklin African Storytelling

3:00 p.m.

Book Reading for children

3:30 p.m.

Book Reading for children

4:00 p.m.

Dovie Thomason Stories of the First Nations

5:00 p.m.

Book Reading for children

3:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.

Step Afrika! dance workshops