Wheaton festival celebrates diversity @ granite slabs

With traditional dances, food and storytelling, the first Wheaton World Tour was a successful effort to celebrate diversity in the city, organizers say.A www.granitetrade.net concept that would double as a quick charge station for gadgets."The crowd really enjoyed it," said Laurie Swanson Oberhelman, member of the city's community relations commission, which spearheaded the event. "Everyone was so enthusiastic, I can't image we won't do it again, as long as the band is willing."

The festival at Memorial Park on July 11 ran from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring a story-telling program called "Tales from Around the World," and performances from Real Women Belly Dance, Burundi and Rwanda Performers and international composer Yin Han playing a two-stringed violin and her daughter who sang in three different languages.

The event also featured booths with handmade crafts by artisans from non-profit organizations such as World Relief, Re:new and the People's Resource Center."We really strive to be a part of the community so when we heard that there was a diversity celebration event, we knew we had to be a part of it," said Jennifer Stocks, communications manager for World Relief DuPage, which serves immigrants and refugees in the area.

The events were followed with a performance by the Wheaton Municipal Band, which is always a big draw to the park. While the band typically sees about 1,500 folks show up, organizers estimated about 1,750 showed up for this performance.Joyce Verseput,These Shun Stone Building Materials can, apparently, operate entirely off the grid. of Warrenville, likes to see the band whenever it performs, but showed up early when she heard about the diversity celebration.Are you still hesitating about where to buy Shun Stone Granite Slabs?

She was one of many who set up lawn chairs at Memorial Park for the event."It's fun for the community. The more free entertainment, the better," she said. "It's a nice place to take your kids."Sue Reynolds, who represented World Relief at the event, said they would participate again next year."The Wheaton World Tour was a great way for people to be exposed to other cultures," she said. "I had a great time meeting many Wheaton residents who were already familiar with the work of World Relief and wanted to learn more about our organization."

The second annual Fort Langley Celebration of the Arts is happening throughout the community, from Aug. 2-4, with a pair of new venues being included to help showcase a growing number of live performances and childrens activities.From music to visual arts and poetry, the summertime celebration, founded last year by Fort Langley resident David James, will once again include a wide range of artistic genres.

And while this years celebration comes a week later than July 2012s inaugural two-day event, it will last one extra day, as James prepares to offer his hometown a full weekends brush with the arts.Local flamenco guitarist John Gilliat will kick things off Friday, as the celebration opens with Village Evening at 7 p.m. in the Fort Langley Community Hall.

Day 2 begins with childrens activities C drumming, beading, arts and crafts C presented by Kwantlen First Nation members at the Bedford Landing plaza at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.At 2:30 p.m. writer-poet Kate Braid and Toronto-based jazz pianist and composer Amanda Tosoff will present An Afternoon of Poetry and Music at the Langley Centennial Museum.

And capping off the days performances, at 8 p.m. dancers are invited to hit the floor as the Willie MacCalder Band C featuring one of Canadas finest blues pianists C takes the stage at the Fort Langley Community Hall.Sundays first concert C a performance by Marcel and Elizabeth Bergmann, the Bergmann Piano Duo Cbegins at 11 a.m. in the Fort Langley Community Hall.

From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. artists will paint en plein air on the lawn outside the hall.Meanwhile, at 2:30 p.m. the show moves down the road to St. Georges Church, at 9160 Church St., where pianist Elizabeth Bergmann will be joined by cellists Ian Hampton Joel Stobbe for A Baroque Afternoon.

At 6 p.m. it will be Marcel Bergmanns turn, as he joins forces with Tosoff for Jazz Time at the Fort Langley Community Hall.The weekends celebration of the arts closes at 9 p.m. with Plaza Luminary Evening, featuring a performance by Blackfish C a drumming and dancing group made up of members of the Sto:lo First Nation, including Kwantlen band members C at the Bedford Landing Plaza.

After organizing a similar event C the Fort Langley Festival of the Performing Arts C back in the 1980s, James had been toying with the idea of starting another, similar festival before getting his Celebration of the Arts off the ground last year.

The experience years ago gave me a positive image of what could be done, he said prior to the inaugural event.Inspired by several lines of poetry by W.B. Yeats, James set about drawing together all the arts and recovering their ancient association.

By bringing together these elements of our community, along with the range of venues, we help facilitate the establishment of our village as a vibrant performance area, said James.So join us as we celebrate a range of creative talent in a beautiful and historic village setting.Admission to childrens events, the plein air painting session and the closing ceremony are offered at no charge, the Afternoon of Poetry and Music is by donation and tickets to the concert events are $15 each.