Houston's Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park Opens Window to the Arts World March 27-29

    BELLAIRE, TX, March 16, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Houston's Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park will open a window to the world through the performing, visual and culinary arts Friday, March 27, through Sunday, March 29, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The nationally-ranked Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park will showcase 14 of the city's premiere multicultural music and dance groups, 300 fine juried artists and their works, plus award-winning wines and chefs in the new Epicurean Adventure.

From African drumming to belly dancing, vocal chamber music to Latin-jazz fusion and more, an array of performers will wow audiences at the Houston Arts Alliance Stage Saturday and Sunday, with performances starting times from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"It's an incomparable family entertainment value," said Art Colony Association Board President Joe Pogge. Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park admission is $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Children are invited to create free souvenir art projects in the Capital One Bank Creative Zone.

The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) is presenting the performing artists and the art demonstrations by master guitar maker Stephen Marchione and abstract visual artist Micah Simmons. The HAA entertainment schedule is as follows:

Friday, March 27

4:00 p.m. Kuumba House - African Dance and Music
5:00 p.m. Groupo Caridad - Salsa and Dance Performers

Saturday, March 28

11 a.m. Revels Houston - Song, Dance, Musical Storytelling Traditions of Diverse Cultures
12 p.m. Col Canto - Art Song and Vocal Chamber Music
1 p.m. Henry Darragh Quintet - Jazz Quintet
1:45 p.m. CORE Performance Company "WIND-UP, Implode, Begin" (World-Premiere Performance Art)
2:00 p.m. Houston Swing Dance Society
3:00 p.m. MECA Mariachis
4:00 p.m. Dance Source Houston
5:00 p.m. Bay Area Chorus - Choral Music

Sunday, March 29

11 a.m. Dominic Walsh Dance Theater - Thought-Provoking Contemporary Ballet
12 p.m. SAMSKRITI, Society for Indian Performing Arts
1 p.m. Houston Choral Showcase - Costumed, Choreographed Show Choir
1:45 p.m. CORE Performance Company "WIND-UP, Implode, Begin" (World-Premiere Performance Art)
2:00 p.m. The Trade - Fusion of Latin and Jazz Grooves
3:00 p.m. Belladonna Dancers - Belly dancers
4:00 p.m. Ambassadors International Ballet Folklorico
5:00 p.m. Amasiko - Original new music for a ballet about Kwanzaa

CORE Performance Company will take inspiration from visual art and dance sources, as well Memorial Park itself with the world premiere of "WIND-UP, implode, Begin." Performed over the course of two hours each day, in four distinct sites throughout the festival grounds, this new work by CORE Performance Company reflects the whimsical humor of featured festival artist Larry Stephenson, juxtaposed with a physically demanding movement style with explosive jumping, rapid turning, and intricate partnering.

New to Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park this year: "Legacy at Memorial First Look Friday," for arts lovers to preview the weekend and the Epicurean Adventure with tastings of wines from the U.S., Chile, Italy and Argentina, wine seminars and chef cooking demonstrations. Kirby's Prime Steakhouse Executive Chef Daniel Nemec of San Antonio and Max's Wine Dive Chef Michael Dei Maggi will conduct wine seminars and cooking demonstrations. Epicurean Adventure tickets are $10 and include tastings of five wine varieties. Entry to the free cooking demonstrations will be first-come, first-served.

The Capital One Bank Creative Zone Nonprofit Partners and children's art projects are below. Proceeds are divided equally among these participating Nonprofit Partners.

Art Colony Association - Wax Hands
MECA - Ornamental Rocks
Art League Houston - Assemblage Animals
Houston Center for Photography - Sun Photos
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft -Felt Garden
Downtown YMCA - Spangles That Dangle
Orange Show Center for Visionary Art - Mini Art Car Building
Museum of Fine Arts Houston - MFAH Mascot Crowns
Lawndale Art Center - Springy Bonnets and Bowlers
City ArtWorks - Flutterby Butterflies

Recently ranked the #3 art festival in the country by the readers of AmericanStyle Magazine (February 2009), Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park showcases clay, drawing/pastel, fiber/textiles, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, watercolor and wood creations. To engage budding artists, the Festival sponsors an Emerging Artists program for area high school students to create and exhibit their 3-D installation in the park.

The City of Houston, Budweiser Select, Capital One Bank, Legacy at Memorial, Houston Parks & Recreation Department, and KTRK-TV (Channel 13) are the Festival sponsors. Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.

Over the past 37 years, the Art Colony Association, the 501c(3) organization that produces the Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park and Bayou City Art Festival Downtown, has raised more than $2.5 million for local non-profit organizations.

There is no public parking in Memorial Park . The Festival provides free shuttle service 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. to and from Memorial Park on Friday from Northwest Mall on Hwy. 290 at 610 Loop at 18th Street; and Saturday and Sunday from Northwest Mall and Downtown: Memorial Drive at Rusk, Rusk at Smith and Smith at Capitol.

For schedules and further information check www.bayoucityartfestival.com or call (713) 521-0133.

For schedules, parking and other information check Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park or call (713) 521-0133.

About Houston's Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park

Houston's Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park, March 27-29, 2009, celebrates the visual, performing and culinary arts within a one-of-a-kind outdoor gallery. With admission $10 per adult and free for children 12 and under, the #3-ranked festival in the U.S. is an incomparable family entertainment value.

Website: http://www.bayoucityartfestival.com

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