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Culturefest cranking out the jams

By Staff | Aug 25, 2009

Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa of Uganda come to Pipestem as the sixth annual Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival rolls into town Sept. 10-13 at The Appalachian South Folklife Center. Kinobe and 25 other music and dance performances from around the world and right here in Charleston will be featured along with workshops, children’s activities, drum circles, healing arts, artisan vendors, camping and much more. 

Organizer Lori McKinney of LLyniuM entertainment says that this year’s event features its best lineup of performers and vendors to date.

“The quality of performances and workshops has exceeded my expectations, and we hope that everyone in the area will take advantage of this extraordinary cultural experience,” she said.

The weekend’s workshops will include Latin/salsa dance, hand drumming, hoop dancing, yoga and belly dance. Children’s activities will be led by Melissa McKinney of Stages Music School in Princeton, and families can expect a colorful array of creative activities to choose from including a costume parade on Saturday afternoon.

The lineup of performers includes the legendary Nat Reese, WV Blues Man and recent West Virginia Music Hall of Fame inductee along with Alliens, of Floyd, Va., (Latin/world fusion), Bare Bones, of Charleston (a capella/ gospel/folk), Dawn Drake & Zapote, of New York City (Latin/afrobeat), Electric Junkyard Gamelan of New York City (experimental/fusion), Option 22, of Princeton (world beat/progressive folk), Shakira Al Fanninah & Firelight of Columbus, Ohio (Mid-Eastern dance), Rhythm Fire Dance, of Floyd, Va., (fire dance), The Weathered Road of Pittsburgh, Pa., (Americana/folk), Voodoo Katz, of Charleston (jungle), Comparsa, of Charleston (Latin), Captain Lazerblast Band, of Princeton (techno-folk), Melissa McKinney, of Princeton (blues), The Clementines, of Charleston (nouveaux folk), Briddy & The Buzz, of Princeton (alternative), Fork-Ups-A-Tea of Lewisburg, (folk rock/indie/Americana), Funk Punch, of Roanoke, Va., (rock/funk), Big Phat Delicious, of Princeton (jazz/funk), Miss Behavin’, of Princeton (rock), Treasure Maple, of Princeton (lyrical/folk), Pseudo-Ethnic Salad, of Princeton (world fusion), The Liberty High School World Percussion Ensemble out of Raleigh County and more.

New in ‘09 is an Open Mic feature on Thursday evening to kick off the event. Festival attendees may sign up for a 20-minute set and be featured on stage that night.