The "forward thinking, groove-heavy" (Jambase) Toubab Krewe of [wiki:Asheville], North Carolina headline both nights. Friday night will also include a rare U.S. performance by Oumou Sangare , "the songbird of Mali," with Virgin Islands roots masters Midnite opening the gathering. Jamaican reggae legends Barrington Levy and Earl "Chinna" Smith and New York City’s old-school hip-hop duo Black Sheep will also move the crowds Saturday. Other performers include Lamine Soumano, Strength In Numbers, Movement of the People: Fela Kuti Tribute Ensemble, Boubakar Diabaté, Sara Grace & The Suits and Jeh Kulu. Yoga In The Woods and African drum and dance workshops will also be available.
The family-friendly event offers on-site camping, medical facilities and security, a VIP lounge, and vendors of authentic African and Ital food and local arts and crafts. Hiking trails wind through beaver ponds, marsh and woodland forest, and a large swimming pond. The 200 children attending in 2008 had their own safe play area with body paint and a bouncy house. This year they’ll also have a puppet theater and a little people’s water slide. An energy-saving sound system and LED lights use only a fraction of the power used at most festivals.
Pre-sale weekend tickets are available now for just $65 for a limited time, as are VIP packages and single-night tickets, via the Festivus MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/thefestivusfortherestivus
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Sabu School in Conakry, [wiki:Guinea], a children’s school for Sierra Leone refugees, and will also go to supporting Toubab Krewe’s teachers, their families, and the musical traditions of West Africa and beyond.
"The Manifestivus" Lineup
Fri. July 17, 2009
Toubab Krewe
Oumou Sangare
Midnite
Sat. July 18, 2009
Toubab Krewe
Barrington Levy
Black Sheep
Special guest Earl "Chinna" Smith
Featuring
Lamine Soumano
Strength In Numbers
Movement of the People:
Fela Kuti Tribute Ensemble
Boubakar Diabaté
Sara Grace & The Suits
Jeh Kulu
Puppet Theater
Yoga In The Woods
African Drum &
Dance Workshop
Sun. July 19, 2009
Jazz Criminals
More about Festivus: http://www.myspace.com/thefestivusfortherestivus
