On Saturday, April 27, Smith College will host an Arabic Cultural Festival for the campus and local communities. The festival is the first ever organized to celebrate Arabic arts and culture at Smith College and in the Pioneer Valley. The festival showcases the arts, music, cuisine, traditions, and, most importantly, the spirit of the Arab world.
The festival, which begins at noon on April 27, will take place on Smith’s Davis Lawn (or in the Davis Ballroom in the event of rain). Guests can enjoy free Arabic music, dance, poetry, calligraphy, and henna hand designs, as well as the sale of handcrafted gifts and Arabic and Middle Eastern books. There will also be numerous activities for children and families.
Additionally, there will be several performances throughout the day including music from Middle Eastern/North African fusion group Atlas Soul from 12:30 to 2 p.m., traditional Middle Eastern music from the Layaali Arabic Ensemble from 2:30 to 4 p.m., and Algerian Rai singer Cheb Yassin from 4 to 5 p.m.
The festival is sponsored by the Betty Hamady Sams ’57 and James F. Sams Fund, the Lecture Committee, Middle East Studies Program, and the Global Studies Center. The event is free and all are welcome.
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