IT’S A BIG PARTY… AND EVERYBODY’S INVITED!!

2010 Cityfolk Festival: The Region’s Biggest Multicultural Bash

It takes place each fourth of July weekend and has become the centerpiece of the summer season in Dayton. The Cityfolk Festival, the region’s largest multi-cultural festival will take place in downtown Dayton, Ohio July 2-4 at RiverScape MetroPark. It’s an event that gets onto the calendar of many Miami Valley residents not just for its artistic lineup-perhaps the best gathering of talent of any festival between here and Chicago-but because it’s also the social event of the year. Throw in free admission, an array of delicious food and family activities that are second to none, even in a festival crazy Midwest market, this two and a half day event is a can’t miss, no-brainer.

The 2010 Cityfolk Festival, will take place Friday, July 2 between 5:30-11 P.M., Saturday, July 3 between 1-10 P.M. and Sunday, July 4 between 1-11 P.M. The City of Dayton fireworks, the region’s largest display, will begin Saturday at 10 P.M.

Among the performers featured at this year’s event festival are soul and blues songstress Bettye Lavette (arriving on the heels of the May release of her critically acclaimed album of re-tooled British rock classics), Dayton’s peerless Rhythm in Shoes in their final performance reuniting the company with dancers and musicians from throughout their rich history, the best in bluegrass music from Dailey & Vincent, a sizzling mix of Latin music from Grupo Fantasma, singer/songwriter Ruthie Foster, New Orleans funksters Bonerama, African singer Chiwoniso, Grammy winning Tex-Mex music from Los Texmaniacs, plus the Zoot Theatre Company, Dayton’s exciting new puppet and mask theatre company and much more.  A complete lineup of performers with schedule is available online at wwww.cityfolk.org.

The artistic lineup is a major draw at every Cityfolk Festival but the family art making/material culture area of each festival is a key component in making this a singularly unique event. About Face: The World Of Puppets and Masks will be open at 1 PM on Saturday and Sunday, and will feature puppet and mask makers representing African, European, Japanese, Hispanic and Appalachian traditions. Festivalgoers can meet artists and learn more in intimate presentations. Kids will be able to create masks and drums in both the Culture Builds Community Area  and the K-12 Gallery for Young People Family Art Making Area and participate in Cityfolk Carnivale parades on Saturday and Sunday.

This year the RiverScape MetroPark Pavilion will provide an exciting new location for dancing and for experiencing performances and workshops. The International Beer Garden returns with an array of brew choices and live music. Room With A View offers a perfect perch for enjoying the festival’s Main Stage plus amenities and convenient free parking.

For complete information about the Cityfolk Festival, including a schedule of events, artist bios, a map, details on Room With A View, how to become a volunteer (the event is made possible with the support of nearly 1,000 volunteers taking on a variety of tasks),  parking, accessibility and more, visit www.cityfolk.org or call 937-223-3655.