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Arts & Entertainment

The Far East Comes to Port Washington

Landmark on Main Street and Port Washington Public Library to host bi-annual Asian Festival this Saturday.

Europeans and their American descendants have been intrigued and entranced by the cultures of the Far East since the discovery of the Silk Road trade routes almost 3,000 years ago. This Saturday, May 1, many of these cultures will bring some of their traditions to Port Washington, as Landmark on Main Street and the Port Washington Public Library host the fourth bi-annual Asian Festival.

"The Landmark on Main Street is very proud to partner up with the Port Washington Public Library on community events like this," said Sharon Maier-Kennelly, Landmark's executive director. "We are very excited to utilize our gym space for hands-on activities and the Jeanne Rimsky Theater for a full performance that will perfectly compliment the events at the library."

Port Washington Public Library Director Nancy Curtin said she is proud to be hosting the festival especially because of the unity it brings to the community.

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"We are very excited about the Asian Festival which the library is offering with its partner across the street, the Landmark on Main Street," Curtin said. "The library has been sponsoring the Asian Festival since 2004 and it has grown in numbers and warm community spirit since then. It is a wonderful collaboration of Asian cultures that share their transitions with each other and the entire Port Washington community."

Children will be given mock passports as they "travel" from country to country, including Japan, Korea, China, India and Bangladesh, as they learn crafts from each during the event. The festival kicks off at 2:15 p.m. at the Landmark with Kids Yoga and then Tae Kwon Do at 3:30 p.m. Then the action moves to the library for Japanese, India, Bengali and Indonesian dancing, Asian arts and crafts, as well as an Asian Food Festival, and a showing of the Japanese film, Picture Bride. As the evening continues, Landmark on Main Street will have Taiko Masala's Taiko Drumming at 8 p.m. In addition, the Chinese Center on Long Island's Children's Lion Troupe will be performing.

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"The Lion Dance is traditionally a dance of celebration," said Patty Chow, director of the Chinese Center on Long Island. "The best part about doing this is going out with the Children's Lion Troupe. The kids are performing the dance as opposed to martial artists, who traditionally perform the dance. Seeing them continue an ancient art form is very rewarding."

Putting together a festival of this magnitude could and usually is a daunting task, but both the Landmark and the library's planners were up for the challenge to bring Port Washington a fun-filled and educating day.

"We've had a wonderful Asian Festival Planning Committee made up of staff, our ESOL students from Japan, Korea, China, India, Bangladesh and Indonesia, some ESOL tutors and community members," said Peggy O'Hanlon, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) coordinator. "With such a dedicated enthusiastic group, the festival is sure to be a winner. Being on a committee with so many diverse cultures is like having a mini United Nations here at the library — only better."

For a complete schedule of Asian Festival activities, visit http://www.pwpl.org/.

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