The Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, in conjunction with the City of Providence’s Department of Art, Culture and Tourism, and FirstWorks invites you to Burnside Park during PVDFest for a celebration of local arts, culture and play designed to entertain and engage all ages.
For the third year in a row, Providence’s signature art festival brings our city’s world-renowned art, culture and culinary communities together with artists from around the world for a uniquely Providence experience. Please join us in Burnside Park as we transform your public park into a center for family friendly activities that stimulate and inspire.
Performances include family-friendly theater, storytelling, music and dance, as well as an open drum circle, a Chinese Lion Dance parade and a special sampler from Girls Rock! Rhode Island.
In addition to performances, there are also many hands-on activities happening throughout the park such as an instrument petting zoo, collage making and face painting. Supplies are available to blow bubbles, draw on the sidewalk or enjoy a break in our open air reading room.
Here is a peek at the artists who will be performing in Burnside Place. Please stay tuned to our Facebook page for our final schedule.
This year our program will kick off with Read ‘n Ring with Ricky Rainbow Beard. Mr. Beard will read to you from his favorite book and Rota Ree will be on hand to answer the phone, so prepare all of your questions in advance! Examples include: What is this? Will there be songs? Is this kid-appropriate? Is this supposed to be funny? Are you a magician? Have I ever heard of you before? Is your beard real? Stay tuned.
A regular at our popular summer event Play in the Park, Miss Katie, founder of playSCIENCE RI, will be performing songs to get kids moving, making instruments and leading a musical parade around the park.
A self-made artist, actress, and teacher from the South Side of Providence, Raffini has long been committed to the community. She teaches Black History and theatre, and tells stories that nurture the spiritual and creative abilities of youth. She will join us with storytelling from Africa and beyond.
Malian percussionist and 2016 PVDFest headliner, Sidy Maiga, hosts an open drum circle. Originally from Mali, Maiga is based in Rhode Island and has traveled the world drumming and teaching. He combines the best of West African percussion traditions with the modern rhythms of the Caribbean and hip-hop. Bring your own djembe or any musical instrument or sit in on one of Maiga’s to participate in an open drum circle with one of Rhode Island’s musical treasures.
The Rhode Island Kung Fu & Lion Dance Club is a non-profit martial & cultural arts group practicing kung fu & Chinese lion dance. Lion dance is a festive, cultural performance combining the movement and spirit of kung fu with drumming, and symbolizing good luck and positive energy.
Girls Rock! Rhode Island presents a Sampler Session includes performances by Girls Camp Alum and Ladies’ Camp Alums (+ possibly a GRR! Volunteer Headliner!). Girls Rock! Rhode Island is also hosting an Instrument Petting Zoo, Jam with GRR! alum DJ RED DAWN, and a Songwriting Workshop.
In addition to performances, there are many activities to explore throughout the park.
In the Remix Collage workshop, Scott Lapham invites participants to help create a larger than life “Remix” photo collage by reassembling hundreds of photographs of real people’s faces previously taken in Kennedy Plaza.
Girls Rock! Rhode Island is setting up an instrument petting zoo for kids to explore musical instruments and jam out with each other while DJ Red Dawn spins some tunes.
The Big Blue Blocks of the Imagination Playground will be out, as well as plenty of bubbles, hula hoops and sidewalk chalk. Our open air reading room jumps out of the pages of our children’s books! Explore the Imaginary Worlds of Art in the Park with our Storybook Rooms! Dr Seuss, Maurice Sendak’s Wild World, GREAT GREEN ROOM from Goodnight Moon, Moon Man, and Wonky World of Roald Dahl.
This year we’re excited to introduce our new Burnside Passports! Earn passport stamps for doing activities in the park and earn prizes! We’ll also have a fun scavenger hunt around the park. For details, visit the info table set up near the Imagination Center.
If you join us in the park, please tag us in your photos @KennedyPlazaPVD or use the hashtag #BurnsideParkPVD so we can find you! Have a great time at PVDFest!
The post PVDFest in Burnside Park on June 3. appeared first on Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy - DPPC.