Ordway Announces 2010 Flint Hills International Children's Festival, 6/1-6

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts today announced the schedule for the 2010 Flint Hills International Children's Festival. Minnesota's signature arts festival for children and families features performing artists from Kenya, Peru, Canada and the U.S.A. Festival dates are June 1-6, 2010. For the third year in a row, Target ® Corporation has generously contributed to the Festival. Thanks to its gift, all tickets to indoor shows during Family Weekend cost only $5. All tickets are for general admission and can be purchased ahead of time through the Ordway Box Office. The Saturday performances of Mermaid Theatre are already sold out.

The Festival takes place in two parts: School Days (June 1-4) and Family Weekend (June 5-6). More than 15,000 children from schools across Minnesota participate in School Days by attending performances, participating in interactive activities and engaging in artist residencies. During Family Weekend, Festival activities fill Rice Park, Landmark Plaza and Hamm Plaza with hands-on activities and art displays.

One of the visual highlights of this year's Festival is the Friendship Forest, an urban garden filled with trees, plants, pansies, ponds and fountains located in Hamm Plaza. Produced in collaboration with Blooming Saint Paul, the garden honors the many layers of friendships, partnerships and community that the Festival has built over the past 10 years.

Throughout the Festival, participants can enjoy a multitude of international performances inside the Ordway and on the outdoor World Stage and Target Alley Stage. Returning to the Festival this year are Peruvian puppeteers Hugo and Ines, a creative duo who helped launch the first Festival in 2000. Other International Artists include Shangilia, a youth performance group from Nairobi, Kenya, led by singer/director/composer J.D. Steele, and the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, which will present "Goodnight Moon" and "The Runaway Bunny."

Well-known regional artists performing for free in the parks surrounding the Ordway include El Arco Iris, CAAM, Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs, Dennis Warner Band, Up ‘til 2, Salsa del Sol, Mariachi Estrella, Kalpulli Yaocenoxtlli, Katha Dance Theatre, Los Alegres Bailadores and more.

In addition to performances, the Festival features visual art projects highlighting Minnesota's finest artistic talents and collaborations. On Saturday at 1 p.m., the ever-popular ARTmoves Parade invites participants of all ages to take part in a vibrant parade of moving art, and sound residencies take place in 12 Saint Paul community centers. To learn more about all Festival art projects, visit http://www.ordway.org/festival/projects.

New this year, Metro Transit is offering free rides to the Festival on all Metro Transit buses and light-rail trains with a Go Greener Pass, available at http://www.ordway.org/festival.

The Festival welcomes volunteers from the community to assist with a variety of fun and interesting activities. For information on volunteering, contact the Ordway at http://www.ordway.org/festival/volunteer/.

A complete schedule can be found at the website: http://www.ordway.org/festival/