The Sixth Annual Afghan Arts and Culture Festival will be held this Sunday, October 4, 2015 at Gateway Park in Arlington, Virginia from 11am until 7:30pm.
The Afghan Arts and Culture Festival has become the largest Afghan-American event in the DC metropolitan area with over 3,500 participants last year alone! The event is a platform to preserve, promote and increase knowledge of the Afghan culture and traditions within the general public. It provides an opportunity for cultural exchange and allows the Afghan diaspora to share the positive side of the Afghan culture that is often not shared by the international media.
The event will feature several musical performances by talented Afghan and American musicians sharing folk and modern Afghan vibes and tunes with the harmonium, tabla, keyboards, drums, and more. Several dance performances throughout the day will encourage guests to get up and moving to learn and partake in traditional Afghan dance.
With a wide variety of activities to include painting a community canvas, tile-making based on traditional Afghan architecture, kite-making workshops, face painting, art exhibition featuring artwork from Afghanistan, and a new children’s play area at the park – no one will be disappointed!
All guests are encouraged to dress in traditional Afghan clothing when attending the festivities. Children ages 12 and under will have an opportunity to present their Afghan clothes in the Youth Fashion Show segment at the festival. Registration for the fashion show is encouraged prior to the festival, but sign ups may take place the day of the festival.
Festival attendees will also have an opportunity to peruse around our Afghan bazaar with over 30 vendors selling anything from authentic Afghan jewelry to local business needs. Guests will also be able to enjoy delicious cuisine by several Afghan food vendors who are well known for their appetizing meals!
This year’s festival will once again be hosted at Gateway Park in Rosslyn, Virginia. Additionally, North Ft Myer Street between the two parks will be closed to traffic to house food vendors and allow for easier walking access between the two parks.
The festival includes fun activities for the entire family!
* Cultural dance performances by Nomad Dancers and the Silk Road Dance Company*
* Afghan Bazaar * Afghan Food * Kite-Making Workshop *
*Afghan Arts and Crafts * Eating Contest *
* Art Exhibition * Family Activities * Afghan Photobooth *
* Face-Painting and Henna * Youth Fashion Show *
* Musical Performances by Fardeen Nawaz & Brothers, Pardeis, Gina & Samir Karimi, and Mustafa Alnoor*
* Hosted by Comedian YouTube Sensations, Qias Omar & Harris Khattak *
*Special Musical Performance and Presentation by Mozhdah Jamalzadah*
This year’s festival is sponsored by Islamic Relief USA, www.irusa.org, Zam Zam Water, and Axxum Technologies. We are also proud to announce that SIGAR (Special Inspector General of Afghanistan Reconstruction) will be in attendance as well, www.sigar.mil. If you cannot attend but would like to support our efforts, you may make a tax-deductible donation to the Festival by donating online at www.afghan-festival.org. Please also visit our website to stay up-to-date on the latest festival activities!
The Afghan Arts and Culture Festival is a non-profit event fiscally sponsored by the Afghan Medical Professionals Association of America.
