Reston Multicultural Festival Expands to Three Stages For Upcoming September 23 Event
RESTON, VA — The Reston Multicultural Festival returns to Reston Town Center to celebrate Reston’s rich diversity through song, dance, craft arts and community engagement. Reston Community Center proudly presents the Reston Multicultural Festival in partnership with Reston Town Center Association (RTCA). BXP cohosts the expanded festival. Volunteer coordination is provided by Reston Association.
“Our diversity is our greatest strength,” says Beverly Cosham, RCC Board of Governors Chair. “We present the Reston Multicultural Festival each year to share the incredible sights, sounds and joyful energy of people who come from all over the world to be here. Bob Simon established Reston as a place where everyone could feel a sense of belonging and discovery. For more than 20 years, this festival has embodied that spirit. We welcome people from all over the region to join the fun!”
The Reston Multicultural Festival will take place on Saturday, September 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a full day of entertainment and activities. Garage parking at Reston Town Center is free on weekends. Participants are encouraged to come dressed in attire that demonstrates their pride in their cultural roots.
Robert Goudie, Executive Director for the Reston Town Center Association (RTCA), notes, “RTCA is delighted to join its cultural partner, RCC, in presenting this signature community celebration of the diversity that makes Reston such a vibrant, warm and welcoming place. With an expanded festival entertainment lineup and more participating artisans, there will be beauty everywhere people turn. We are especially grateful to our cohost, BXP, which has generously allowed us to enlarge the festival footprint up Market Street to the Pavilion. Of course, we also deeply appreciate green room support for artists from The Avant, and we thank all the volunteers, staff and visitors who bring this terrific festival to life.”
The Reston Multicultural Festival continues its partnership with the National Council of Traditional Arts (NCTA) and features a special lineup of National Endowment of Arts (NEA) Heritage Fellows, recipients of the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional art. The NEA Fellows appearing include:
Roen Hufford, Kapa Maker, 2023 NEA National Heritage Fellow
Waimea, Hawaii
Of Native Hawaiian descent, Roen Halley Kahalewai McDonald Hufford carries on the tradition of ka hana kapa (making bark-cloth) and is a leading figure in the reclamation of this nearly lost art.
The Legendary Ingramettes, Gospel Artists, 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellow
Richmond, Virginia
The Legendary Ingramettes are widely considered Richmond’s “First Family of Gospel,” uplifting audiences for over six decades while becoming beloved cultural icons in the community.
Wayne Henderson, Luthier, 1995 NEA National Heritage Fellow
Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
Henderson was born, raised and still lives in Rugby, near the North Carolina border. He has taken first place 13 times at the Galax Fiddlers’ Convention guitar competition.
Tsering Wangmo Satho, Tibetan Opera Singer and Dancer, 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellow
Richmond, California
Tsering Wangmo Satho was born in a refugee settlement in southern India in 1967. Her elders served as living examples of their traditions and language. Satho trained at the Tibetan Institute of the Arts (TIPA), founded by the Dalai Lama. TIPA serves as a critical response to the threats to Tibetan culture.
In keeping with the celebration of diversity and community spirit, this year the Festival expands to three stages (Park Stage, Market Street Stage and Pavilion Stage) hosting over 20 performances. The Festival will also have more than 30 arts and crafts vendors displaying and selling items from all around the world. Community organizations will be on hand to engage with visitors. A complete schedule and list of participants can be found here: www.restoncommunitycenter.com/mcf
About the Reston Community Center
Each year, RCC offers positive, self-development experiences that enhance the quality of life for all people living and working in Reston. RCC provides a wide range of programs in arts, aquatics, enrichment and lifelong learning. We create and sustain community traditions through special events, outreach activities and facility rentals. To find the programs or events that are right for you, visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com or call 703-476-4500.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America.
About the National Council for the Traditional Arts
Founded in 1933, the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) is the nation’s oldest folk arts organization. The NCTA presents the nation’s finest traditional artists to the public in festivals, national and international tours, concerts, radio and television programs, films, recordings and other programs. For over 30 years, the NCTA has worked with the National Endowment for the Arts on a consulting basis to manage and coordinate the National Heritage Fellowships activities honoring the Fellowship recipients.
About the Reston Town center Association
Reston Town Center Association (RTCA) is the mixed-use, governing association for the Reston Town Center, which is not only Reston’s downtown but a major employment and amenity center for the region. The association’s services benefit all those who live, work, play, and visit here. Core aspects of its mission include design review, support of transit-oriented development, and a strong commitment to the arts and community programming, all in furtherance of Reston Town Center’s destination proposition.
# # #
Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request. For further information, contact Reston Community Center at 703-476-4500, TTY 711 or visit the website at www.restoncommunitycenter.com. Reston Community Center is located at 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, Va, 20191. Reston Community Center is completely accessible to persons with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Enriching Lives. Building Community.
Photo, L to R: National Heritage Fellows: Roen Hufford by Lynn Graton; The Legendary Ingramettes by Remsberg Inc.; Wayne Henderson by Remsberg Inc.; Tsering Wangmo Satho by Remsberg Inc.
