Photo courtesy of Dublin Arts Council
The diversity of the Dublin community is on full display this fall as the Dublin Arts Council brings back last year’s popular B.R.E.A.D! Festival.
The name is an acronym – Bake, Reconnect, Educate, make Art and celebrate Diversity – and the festival features food, music, dance, art, community booths and a marketplace, all spotlighting the different cultures in and around the City.
The free event runs noon-9 p.m. Oct. 21 in Historic Dublin.
“It’s the most engaged that I’ve seen an audience get in a long time.” - Guion
The inaugural festival in 2016 generated great feedback from volunteers and attendees, including one who pleaded with the council to bring it back. The council is only too happy to oblige, says Executive Director David Guion.
“I think, from all the feedback I got, that … the diversity of the crowd was probably the most compelling part of the festival,” Guion says.
Among the most popular components last year was the dancing, particularly the African group, Imani Dancers.
“They do a performance, and then they come out into the crowd and teach the steps with live music,” says Guion. “It’s the most engaged that I’ve seen an audience get in a long time.”
Photo courtesy of Dublin Arts Council
Last year, the council worked with a bread sculptor to put together artwork for the show. This year, it’s going in a different direction, as Jerry Beck, founder of the Revolving Museum in Massachusetts, will create a community mural out of bread crumbs and burnt toast.
“We thought he would be perfect for the event,” Guion says.
This year's festival features appearances from Japanese, Chinese, West African, Irish, German, Indian, Latin American, Bhutanese-Nepali, Polish, Korean and Ukrainian performers and cultural groups.
Other highlights of the festival include a craft corner in which children can create their own ceramic tiles, along with food trucks and a Japanese tea ceremony.
Garth Bishop is managing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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