Sunday, May 12, 2013

Eleventh Annual Drums Along the Hudson®: A Native American Festival

Eleventh Annual Drums Along the Hudson®: A Native American Festival
Sunday, May 19th, 2013 - 11:00 am until 6:00 pm
Rain or Shine - FREE
Inwood Hill Park, NY
218th Street and Indian Road (4 blocks west of Broadway)

The Eleventh Annual DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON®: A NATIVE AMERICAN FESTIVAL will take place on Sunday, May 19th, 2013 in Upper Manhattan`s Inwood Hill Park from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm, rain or shine. This event is presented by Lotus Music & Dance in collaboration with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, sponsored in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Councilman Robert Jackson and WABC-TV.

A FREE, multi cultural family-oriented festival, DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON® includes exhibitions of world dance and drumming traditions with host Louis Mofsie and the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, Heyna Second Sons, Silver Cloud Drum Group, and the Kasibahagua Taino Cultural Society, as well as Native American crafts and international foods. The festival combines a celebration of Native American heritage, culture, and art with the diversity of New York City itself. In keeping with the underlying theme of environmental appreciation and education, DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON® will continue to feature an Environmental Tent which will include appearances by Captain Planet, courtesy of the Captain Planet Foundation.

During the day, we take time out to honor individuals and organizations for their contributions to environmental and humanitarian causes. This year's honorees are Grammy Award Winner, Singer and Songwriter Joanne Shenandoah and Author Doug George for their contributions to Native American arts and culture, and Deborah Harvey-Koenigsberger, Founder and President of Hearts of Gold, for her huminatarian services. We will also plant a Tree of Peace in a ceremony, officiated by Mohawk Elder Tom Porter, which pays tribute to the memory of community leaders we have lost in the previous year. Sandra Bookman, weekend anchor for WABC-TV will host the event.

This year, we will have a free bicycle valet for attendees who ride their bike to the park.

To reach Inwood Hill Park, take the 1 train to 215th Street or the A train to 207th Street. The Entrance to the park is at 218th Street and Indian Road, four blocks west of Broadway. By car, it is just north of the Dyckman Street exit off the Henry Hudson Parkway.

Special Note: Members of the Kasibahagua Taino Cultural Society will share a presentation of Taino Music and Song at 11am. The United Confederation of Taino People will also have an information and mini-Museum table.