Seattle Center Winterfest Runs 11/27-29

Seattle Center Winterfest 2009 Opening Weekend. This spirited, seasonal five-week festival opens with an inspiring performance by Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. Seattle Mayor Nickels officially ushers in Winterfest at a celebratory opening ceremony. The weekend continues with Winter Worldfest and a full schedule of performances by the region's most entertaining ethnic artists. Pacific Cascade Big Band takes to Center House Stage Saturday evening for big band dancing with Arthur Murray Dance. All of these events are free and open to the public.

Winterfest also offers Saturday afternoon ice sculpting and fireside sing-alongs. Winter Train and Village return this year, along with Winterfest Ice Rink and Classic Carousel. Seattle Center Winterfest is promoted as part of Holidays in the City.
WHEN: Nov. 27 - 29 (full festival runs November 27 - December 31)

WHERE: Seattle Center campus, showered in thousands of sparkling holiday lights.
Performances take place on Center House Stage.

EVENT LIST FOR NOV. 27 - 29:

Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra
Friday, Nov. 27, 11 a.m.
Center House
Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, one of the nation's largest and most noteworthy youth orchestras, performs the traditional opening of Seattle Center Winterfest and the Student Showcase Series with a selection of seasonal works sure to engage and inspire!

Winterfest Opening Ceremony
Friday, Nov. 27, 1 p.m.
Center House
Winterfest officially opens with the noble drone of the Keith Highlanders Pipe Band. Join Mayor Greg Nickels and Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams to herald in five weeks of spirited seasonal festivities.

10th Annual Winter Worldfest
Friday, Nov. 28, 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 29, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 30, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Center House
Winterfest's cultural festival features some of the region's best ethnic entertainment. Watch as the world comes to life in music and dance. Take in the culture or search for unique holiday gifts without leaving Center House. The Holiday World Market offers goods from Russia, China and Istanbul. ethnicheritagecouncil.org.

Schedule subject to change

 

Friday, Nov. 27, 1 - 6 p.m.:

1:00* - 1:45pm Keith Highlanders Pipe Band and Marian Webb School of Highland Dance

* Winterfest Opening Ceremony & Tree Lighting

2:00 - 2:45pm "One Crazy Raven" - Native American Stories & Music by Gene Tagaban

3:00 - 3:45pm Ocheami - Music, Dance & Stories from Ghana, West Africa
4:00 - 4:30pm Main Street Cloggers - Traditional Appalachian Clogging

4:45 - 5:15pm Kisbetyárok - Hungarian American Association of Washington
5:30 - 6:00pm Bokréta Hungarian Dance Ensemble

Saturday, Nov. 28, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.:
10:00 - 10:25am Yang ChengFu Tai Chi Chuan Center - Performance of Traditional Tai Chi
10:30 - 11:00am Urvasi - Classical Odissi From India
11:05 - 11:30am Northwest Wushu - Chinese Martial Arts

11:45 - 12:15pm Katrilli Finnish Folkdancers - Lucia Procession & Holiday Dances of Finland

12:30 - 1:00pm Joyas Mestizas - Mexican Folkloric Dance of Mexico
1:15 - 1:45pm Morning Star Korean Cultural Center - Traditional Korean Dances & Music
2:00 - 2:45pm Eduardo Mendonça & Show Brazil! - Traditional & Contemporary Music and Dance of Brazil
3:00 - 3:30pm Filipiniana Dance Company - Traditional Folk Dance of the Philippines
3:45 - 4:15pm Kabuki Academy - Traditional Japanese Dance & Shamisen Music
4:30 - 5:00pm Comerford School of Irish Dance -
Traditional Irish Step Dancing Featuring Beginners & Champion Dancers

 

Sunday, Nov. 29, 11a.m. - 5 p.m.:

11:00 - 11:30am Shahrazad Folk Dance Ensemble of Seattle -

Folkloric Dances of Arab Gulf States, Egypt Turkey & Iran

11:45 - 12:15pm Folkvoice Band - Folksongs of Europe

12:30 - 1:15pm Halau Hula O' Napualani - Hawaiian-Pacific Island Songs and Traditional Dances

1:30 - 2:00pm Melody Dance Group - Chinese Folk, Traditional & Modern Dance

2:15 - 3:15pm Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble & Ruže Dalmatinke Orchestra -

Dances & Music of Croatia

3:30 - 4:00pm Enzian Schuhplattler - German Bavarian & Austrian Folkdance and Schuhplattler

4:15 - 5:00pm La Peña Flamenca de Seattle - Spanish Flamenco Music & Dance

From Southern Spain with a Holiday Theme

Ice Sculpting
Saturday, Nov. 28, 12 noon - 2 p.m.
Outside Fisher Pavilion
Artistry and ice unite in a glorious and temporal expression of the season as internationally acclaimed, award-winning artists create seasonal sculptures. Watch while they work or stop by later to see the glistening result. Each Saturday an ice master will carve a different design.

Fireside Singing
Saturday, Nov. 28; 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Outside Fisher Pavilion
Share in warmth and music around the crackling flames of a bonfire. Folksinger Hank Cramer will lead passers-by in a mix of original, traditional and contemporary holiday songs as embers illuminate the night.

Big Band Dance with Arthur Murray and Pacific Cascade Big Band
Saturday, Nov. 28: 6:30 p.m.;
Classes & Demos; 8 p.m., Dance
Center House
Put on your dancing shoes for a lively evening. Start with 30-minute classes and demonstrations, designed for all levels, then practice your moves as you swing the night away to the brassy tunes of Pacific Cascade Big Band, specializing in vintage big band, jazz music from the 1930s to the 1950s.

WINTERFEST EVERYDAY
The following Seattle Center Winterfest attractions are available any day of the week. Extended dates for Ice Rink and Classic Carousel: November 27 - January 3

Winter Train and Village
Nov. 27 - Dec. 31, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Center House
The Winter Train and Village, erected each year in Center House, takes you back in time to a miniature turn-of-the-century town, complete with buildings, lights, snow and a towering train depot. Step up to the conductor's seat and drive the train through town or take in the wintery scenery from the sidelines.

Winterfest Ice Rink
Nov. 27 - Jan. 3
Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.;
Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fisher Pavilion, $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 - 12. Skate rental: $2. Cash only.
The light-filled, 12,600 sq-ft. Fisher Pavilion is transformed into a skateable winter wonderland. Offering inside skating at its best, the Ice Rink accommodates all levels of expertise, from novIce To Olympiad.

Classic Carousel
Nov. 27 - Jan. 3
Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.;
Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Outside Fisher Pavilion, $1 per ride
Take your seat on one of the brightly painted horses and watch while the world spins by. The Classic Carousel is part of the Winterfest tradition, a perennial favorite that provides old-fashioned fun for the whole family.

For more information on Seattle Center Winterfest or other holiday offerings on the Seattle Center campus, please call 206-684-7200 or visit www.seattlecenter.com.

 

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