It's a Multi-Cultural Weekend in Reno
No need to travel to Hawaii this summer. You can enjoy all the wonderful aspects of the Polynesian culture right here in Reno this weekend (July 24-26). The Pacific Island Festival is another element of Reno’s Artown Festival 2009 to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
The 11th Annual Pacific Island Festival is being sponsored by the Silver Legacy and the Pacific Exchange. As part of the Artown Festival, many of the events will be free to the public. The festival will feature Polynesian music and dance that includes a Heiva i Reno Tahitian Dance Competition. As with any festival, there will be booths offering favorites foods of the islands as well as arts and crafts. There will even be a Drunken Pig Cook-off.
The arts, crafts and food booths can be found on the Plaza, where a main stage will also offer the music of the islands. The Heiva i Reno will be held in the Downtown Reno Ballroom, where dancers from across the country will compete for the honorable Overall Title. Winners will also receive cash prizes.
Friday July 24
3pm: Opening Ceremonies
3:30 – 7pm: Food and craft booths open
4:30 – 7pm: Live music and dance performances
3:30 – 7pm: Heiva I Reno Dance Competition
Saturday July 25
10am – 5:30pm: Heiva i Reno Dance Competition continues
11am – 7pm: Food and craft booths open with live music and dance performances
Sunday July 26
11am – 5pm: Food and craft booths open, with live music and dance performances
2 – 2:30pm: Heiva i Reno Winners perform
If you would like to expand your multi-cultural experiences, head over to Wingfield Park, where the Basque will be celebrating their cultural heritage. The festival will include traditional folk dancing and music, great Basque food and souvenirs. The festival will feature weight-carrying and wood chopping contests. For the kids, there will be a bota bag contest.
Sunday’s festivities will begin with an open-air Catholic Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral (310 West 2nd Street) at 10:30 am featuring traditional Basque music, dances and song followed by a Basque BBQ lunch served in the West Street Plaza. The afternoon will be reserved for dancing, card playing and visiting until 3 PM.
Once again, as part of the Artown Festival, this event is free. The 30th Basque Festival will be begin at 10 am on Saturday. On Sunday, the festivities will begin at 10:30 am with an open-air celebration of the Catholic Mass. The mass will be celebrated at the St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral, which will be followed by a Basque BBQ at the West Street Plaza . Following the BBQ will be more dancing and some card playing. The event ends at 3p.m.
If you're not sure what a Drunken Pig Cook-off is or what a bota bag contest is, then attend the festivals this weekend to learn about the culture and enjoy the music, dance and beauty of the islands and the Basque people right here in downtown Reno.
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