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Explore Iranian Cultural Roots and Contemporary Influences
At the Iranian Festival

Seattle Center Festál: Iranian Festival, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday, June 16, in Seattle Center  Armory/Center House, explores the roots and contemporary influences of Persian cultures. Live entertainment, Rumi poetry, visual arts, hands-on activities, face painting, and a marketplace provide a glimpse into this culturally opulent culture.

The Iranian Festival aims to bring together Iranian and American communities in the greater Seattle area to celebrate Persian culture. The festival, now in its 6th year, showcases a whole host of professional dancers and music performers featuring:
• Anita Amirrezvani, an Iranian-American historical fiction author, in a stage reading from her latest novel about 16th and 17th century Iranexquisite
• Ali Rouhfar, Persian calligraphy art demonstrations.
• A Teahouse experience where visitors learn about traditional Iranian foods and sweets
• An Iranian bazaar that holds insights into Iranian food, history, jewelry, visual art, musical instruments, and prominent contemporary and historical figures

The 20 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.

Iranian Festival is part of The Next Fifty at Seattle Center in 2012. The Festival is produced by Iranaian American Community Alliance in partnership with Seattle Center. For a full event schedule, visit www.iaca-seattle.org, and for more information on this cultural series and other Seattle Center public programming, click on www.seattlecenter.com.

About Seattle Center Festál

Seattle Center Festál, part of The Next Fifty in 2012 celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, presents a series of 20 world festivals on weekends throughout the year highlighting 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 and KUOW 94.9 Public Radio. Additional support is provided by Seattle Center Foundation and the City of Seattle.

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