“We are the World!” Othello Park International Music and Arts Festival

As Seattle runs short of summer Sunday Seafair events, not to be missed is the annual Othello Park International Music and Arts Festival whose theme this year is  O! hello Othello Fun in Many Languages.  To be held August 16 from noon to 6:00, this “other half” of the Rainier Valley Festival Weekend happens under majestic old trees that crown the pastoral beauty of Othello Park located a short block from the Othello Link light rail station.

This proudly diverse southeast Seattle neighborhood comes together in its favorite open space that day to show case its rich cultural heritage by featuring authentic music, dance and food from East Africa, the South Pacific Islands, the Filipinas, Latin America, and more.  Audience participation is encouraged for frolicking and fun on the dance floor under tutelage of the performers.  Art creation stations will be available for children of all ages to express their creativity in a variety of media.  Games, prizes, bouncy houses, the Parks hillside slide, and a petting zoo starring Mighty Mo, the camel are a few attractions to keep the kids entertained.

After filling your tummy without emptying your wallets, you can wander through an array of vendor stalls featuring businesses, community organizations, and projects.  At  the end of the day join with the neighborhood in a procession along Martin Luther King Jr. Way South to greet a new installation of street banners displaying the neighborhood logo in 40 of its locally spoken languages.  This is a unique Seafair summer experience for the whole family!