Alright, Folks! It’s that time of year again – Time to get ready for the 27th annual Argentine Festival, brimming with authentic food, crafts, and performers coming at you straight from Argentina! The festival takes place Saturday, May 17, at 4:00pm at the Thomas Jefferson Theater in Arlington, Virginia. The music won’t stop – rain or shine – and neither should you. This is an event you won’t want to miss.
Before the performances begin, visitors have time to browse through an artisans’ hall featuring food, crafts, jewelry, and other goods sourced from Argentina. Over the years we’ve learned that guests who arrive early get the best selection, so you won’t want to be late this year. Especially since the festival promises to be better than ever this time around. This is your chance to purchase goods you can’t get anywhere else. And this year, Mabel Lebrero of Data Eventos and her associate will be on-site coordinating the Exhibitornet with more displays, artisans and catalogs than ever before.
But of course, it’s the performances that are the heart of the festival – there’s always an entertaining and eclectic mix of traditional and current styles and artists to choose from. Folkloric song and dance, tango, and other genres are combined by musicians and artists who share their talents to provide guests with an unforgettable evening of entertainment. Ever seen a requinta played? This may be the only opportunity to do so in the United States!
This year’s lineup of performers includes:
– Dario Chiesa, Argentina’s 21st century troubadour, in his U.S. debut
– Los Ceibales, a celebrated folkloric vocal group that recently wowed the Cosquin folk festival
– Mariana Cayón, singing a fusion of folklore and Latin sound rhythms
– Ferny & Her Magic Requinto, the only popular female “requinista” of song and dance
– Roberto Leiva, famous Argentine tango singer
In addition to these showstoppers, several local artists with Argentine roots will be performing, including tango dancers, Carlos Gutiérrez; Patricio Lizárraga and Nadine Fricke; Liza and Alexey Semyonov; and Tino Bastidas, Diego Bastidas and Susan Reynolds, who will also lead a participatory amateur tango on stage – an audience favorite. They will be joined by folkloric dancers Osvaldo and Adela, folkloric group Cantoral TR3S, Christian Perez Quartet; La Trifulca Tango Trío, guitarist Cristian Perez, bass player Jon Nazdin, bandoneon artist Emmanuel Triffilio, and singer Claudia Gargiulo. Remember is Living Pop Music by Salvatore.
More information on the artists and festival can be found on the festival website, festivalargentinousa.com, along with information on sponsorship, ads, food vendor space/s, expositors opportunity and the many volunteer assignments and opportunities.
Watch for more news as the date draws closer, including a possible welcoming reception. Plan to join us for the 27th Festival Argentino, an exuberant evening like none other. Admission is $20 in advance or $30 at the door. A family package for Mother’s Day for five people is $80 (expires May 17, no refunds). The price of admission includes free parking, access to the festival performances, access to the food vendors and ExhibitorNet artisans, and participation in a raffle. A portion of the proceeds go to benefit a school in Argentina.
The annual festival is organized by a volunteer organization that believes in making the fine and performing arts available to all at reasonable cost. It is partially supported by funding from Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division of Arlington Economic Development and the Arlington Commission for the Arts www.ArlingtonArts, the auspices of the Embassy of Argentina, Cancillería Asuntos Culturales, and many local businesses also provide support, partners, friends and volunteers.
