The Seventh Annual DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON: A NATIVE AMERICAN FESTIVAL
will take place on Sunday, May 17th, 2009
in Upper Manhattan’s Inwood Hill Park from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm, rain or shine.
The event is FREE to the public and presented by Lotus Music & Dance in collaboration with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, and is sponsored in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and WABC-TV. DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON features Manhattan’s only open air pow wow, which is a celebratory gathering of Native people. This year’s pow wow will be led by Louis Mofsie and the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers and will feature other indigenous and international artists.
A multi cultural family-oriented festival, DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON includes exhibitions of world dance and drumming traditions as well as Native American crafts and international cuisines. 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 an appearance by Captain Planet, as well as lectures and demonstrations by organizations and artists dedicated to promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle.
During the day, between the hours of 1pm and 3pm, we take time to honor two individuals and or organizations for their contributions to either Humanitarian Services or the Environment. This year’s honorees are Mohawk Elder & Author Tom Porter and Laura Turner Seydel, Environmentalist & Chairman of the Captain Planet Foundation. Sandra Bookman, weekend anchor for WABC-TV, will host the event.