From Lauren Zembron –
The Gund Kwok Asian Women’s Lion Dance will feature a dance performance, during which the
lion will “eat” a head of lettuce (representing money) and two oranges (representing gold). The
lettuce and oranges will then be tossed back into the audience to symbolize sharing of good
fortune and luck. There will also be a costume try-on session for children following the
performance.
Next up will be Kurt Jackson, a beloved Medfield teacher, artist, and children’s storyteller, who
will be sharing his energetic and engaging storytelling with the audience.
Following Kurt will be Sista Dee, a Caribbean Steel Pan Artist. Originally from Trinidad and
Tobago, Sista Dee is known for her steel pan playing & vocal style. She performs all around the
world.
After Sista Dee, there will be an African Dance Workshop with Simdaca African Dance
Academy. Simdaca focuses on expression through authentic Authentic Urban, Traditional
Western & Central African Dances, and Afro-Contemporary Dance. Both adults and kids are
welcome to join the dance workshop!
Comelia Latin Jazz Band will be on stage next. This ensemble band features instrumental jazz
standards performed with Latin rhythms.
Given that CultureFest is the Saturday prior to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we are especially
excited about and thankful to be welcoming The Nettukkusqk Singers to the performer lineup.
Comprised of women from both the Wampanoag and Nipmuc Tribes, this group performs
traditional and contemporary songs accompanied by hand drums, rattles, and water drums. In
the Natick dialect of Algonquin, “nettukkusqk” means “my sister”.
The last performance of the day will be the Turkish string ensemble, Bengisu Gokce Trio, joined
by the Boston Music Project. The Boston Music Project is comprised of teaching artists and
Boston Public School students. It is of interesting note that composer, Lowell Mason, was born
in Medfield and is widely considered to be the “father of public music education in America”. The
addition of music into the standard school curriculum was largely due to efforts Mason made in
Boston in the mid-19th century. Thus, it is fitting to have Boston Public School students
performing in the birthplace of Lowell Mason.
All are welcome to attend this fun day out and join in celebrating and learning about the
customs, traditions, artwork, music, and food of diverse people within and around Medfield. In
addition to the musical and dance performances, there will be kids’ activities, arts & crafts
vendors, and food purveyors. CultureFest runs from 10 am to 3 pm on October 8th at Bellforge
Arts Center, located at 45 Hospital Road (https://bellforge.org/getting-here/). Rain date is
October 9th. There is plenty of free parking and visitors are encouraged to bring blankets or
lawn chairs to enjoy the festival.
We hope to see you there!
CultureFest Performers
(Medfield, MA): Medfield Together and Bellforge Arts Center are excited to share the performer
lineup and schedule for CultureFest, a multicultural festival held on October 8th at Bellforge Arts
Center. The performance schedule will be as follows:
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