North Tidewater News

Enjoy a journey of culture, craftsmanship, and cuisine during the Newport News World Arts Celebration.  The city is partnering with The CAN Foundation to hold the free event on Saturday, July 29, from noon until 5 p.m. at Victory Landing Park in The Yard District. 

This free event includes musical and dance performances, visual arts demonstrations, interactive education stations, spoken word sessions, hands-on workshops, food trucks, children’s activities, and more. Guests of all ages will enjoy a diverse line-up, including:

• Italian Opera by Denise Nicole Battle
• Jazz by regional favorite Fortresses
• A blend of traditional amapiano sounds with musical influences from around the world by DJ J. Kirven.  Amapiano is a subgenre of house and Kwaito music that emerged in South Africa in the mid-2010s. It is a hybrid of deep house, jazz, and lounge music characterized by synths and wide percussive basslines.
• Steel Drum Vibes  
• Original music by Virginia Commission for the Arts Songwriting Fellow Chris [i.D] Jeter and band
• Interactive Polynesian dance with Tepua Hio Hio
• Music that centers around our interactions with the world we live in and how we express ourselves with VCA fellow Orion Redwolf and the Melted Crayons
• Dance and music by Soka Tribe & Trio a Caribbean Carnival Experience
• And more!

In addition to performances, Newport News and The CAN Foundation are partnering with other organizations to offer hands-on activities, including:

• Mural Painting
• African Clay, Print Poster, Ukrainian Dye, and International Modeling Clay Workshops
• Missoula School of Hot Glass Blowing
• KidCreate Studio Children’s Art Activities
• International Food Vendors
• Displays from Sister Cities of Newport News
• Spin-Art T-shirts and Wax Hands Giveaways

During the event, Newport News and The CAN Foundation will officially launch the Street Museum project, a city-wide series of iconic murals.  Muralist Nico Cathcart will be high on a lift near the event entrance at The Warwick Hotel painting a mural that highlights the rich history of the building while honoring the hotel’s history, residents, and the building’s unique stories.   

Admission for the event and parking are free.  For more information about the event and the Street Museum, visit www.nnparksandrec.org.

Original source can be found here.