Seattle Center Festál Presents The Arab Festival

Seattle Center Festál: Arab Festival offers exploration and insights into the rich and complex cultures of 22 countries and two continents in the Arab world, tonight and October 9, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., in Fisher Pavilion and Seattle Center Pavilion.

The 2011 theme, Al Noor: Illuminating the Faces of Arab Culture, invites visitors to dance to Arab music, play backgammon, and engage in the culture through exhibits, films, children's music, dance workshops and panel discussions on Arab history and current affairs. Food vendors will offer Middle Eastern fare, including Moroccan and Algerian food and traditional favorites of Falafel and Shwarma sandwiches.

Special events and guests this year include:

• Performance and workshop by poet Remi Kanazi.

• Classical and traditional Arab music by The Arabesque Trio - a subset of the Arabesque Music Ensemble (formerly known as the Chicago Ensemble) with: Moroccan-born Kanoon player Hicham Chami, Arab-Israeli violinist Hanna Khoury, and Syrian artist Hafex El Ali Kotainan on percussion.

• An "Arab Suite" featuring the Freedom Stage with a variety of panel discussions, lectures, stories and presentations by local Arab-Americans. The Suite, dressed in Arab décor, will highlight different Arab symbols of unity. Guests will have an opportunity to get to know "who Arabs really are" over tea/coffee and sweets and by meeting and having meaningful conversations. The Arab Suite will be housed in Seattle Center Pavilion.

• Festal Fabric of America Project (FFAP: E=mc2)
This special project, funded by the Wallace Foundation and Washington State Arts Commission, allows visitors to express their passion, pride, and point-of-view on ethnicity and cultural heritage in 2011. The project theme, "what does Arab culture look like," invites the audience to move beyond stereotypes and appreciate Arab culture in all of its depth and diversity. The project maintains a Facebook page and a place to upload images in advance of the event at www.arabcenterwa.org. Submissions will be showcased at the 2011 Arab festival and on Arab Festival website.

The 21 Seattle Center Festál cultural celebrations highlight The Common forms of tradition and expression among ethnic communities in the Pacific Northwest, while underscoring their unique creative contributions, customs, foods and ideals. Each event offers moving entertainment and fascinating insight into a different culture of the world.

Seattle Center Festál: Arab Fest is presented by Seattle Center in partnership with the Arab Center of Washington. For a full event schedule, visit www.arabcenterwa.org and for more information on this cultural series and other Seattle Center programming, click on www.seattlecenter.com or call 206 684-7200.

About Seattle Center Festál

Seattle Center Festál, a series of 21 world festivals presented at Seattle Center throughout 2011, highlights the distinct cultures and common threads of ethnic communities in our region through traditional and contemporary art, music, foods, youth activities, workshops and more. This collection of cultural events is produced with the generous support of Wells Fargo, Verizon Wireless and KUOW 94.9 Public Radio. Additional support is provided by Seattle Center Foundation and the City of Seattle.