By Karen Bloom
ICM's 6th Annual Friends Around the World Festival - fast becoming a local tradition - offers families a globe-trotting adventure within the confines of the museum.
The festival, which is open from noon-5 p.m., features live music and dance, international foods, games, and craft activities. It's a vibrant day for kids, and their parents, who can involve themselves in activities representing many different cultures.
Children and adults will learn about Long Island's cultural heritage as they master the Colombian game of La Cachanga and Italian game of bocce, practice Latin and Middle Eastern dances, enjoy the music of Celtic pipers and Japanese Taiko drummers, and design Moroccan tiles, Chinese tiger shoes, and Greek worry beads. Along the way visitors can sample food from Colombia, Italy, Greece, China, and the South Pacifi throughout the day.
" "Step into Our World" represents not only the theme of this year's Festival, but the goal the Children's Museum established when it created this special event six years ago, explained LICM Executive Director Suzanne LeBlanc. "The festival is designed to allow families of all backgrounds to learn from and about the traditions and cultures of their neighbors in a welcoming setting."
This year's event offers visitors immersive cultural experiences. Kids and their parents will deepen their connections with individual countries as they enter settings designed to tantalize all their senses. A wide range of sights, sounds and smells will transport families around the globe as they move throughout the Museum's galleries and into an adjoining performance tent, featuring a rotating schedule of cultural performances.
"Fun and games, music and dance, and crafts and food are themes common to all cultures," said LeBlanc. "The Friends Around the World Festival underscores our cultural similarities, while providing opportunities to explore our differences in a lively and welcoming environment."
The Festival has become a favorite annual event on family calendars and a popular community fundraiser. "Long Island families and businesses have been very supportive of this event through the years," said LeBlanc.
"We are hopeful that the all-inclusive nature of the event and the modest admission fee will enable individuals and corporations to continue to show their support for the Museum through this event.
The festival traditionally attracts nearly 1,500 people, including sponsored guests, supported through its outreach program. Through this initiative, the museum provides complimentary Festival tickets to organizations that assist children and families in need, including Big Brothers and Sisters of Long Island, Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Family and Children's Association. Proceeds from the Friends Around the World Festival support the museum's programs throughout the year.
Friends Around The World
Festival
Sunday, Nov. 9, noon-5 p.m.
A pay-one-price ticket covers admission, all activities and performances and an international food sampling. Tickets purchased before Nov. 9 are $12 ($10 museum members). Tickets purchased at the door are $15 ($12 museum members). Children under two are admitted free. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the museum box office, by calling 516-222-1770 or by downloading an order form at www.licm.org.
Long Island Children's Museum, Museum Row, Garden City (near the Nassau Coliseum.).
