During the month of September, the library will host cultural festivals that celebrate the diversity within Irving. Each library location will showcase a different culture represented in the city with family friendly programs featuring live music, dancing, storytelling, crafts and food. The following festivals are free and open to the public. For performance schedules at each festival, visit www.cityofirving.org/library.
Celebrating India
The Valley Ranch Library, 401 Cimarron Trail, will host a celebration of Indian culture from noon to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 3. Attendees will enjoy food samples, discover the art form of henna tattooing, create crafts and play games. Children’s author Uma Krishnaswami will discuss her work, “The Grand Plan to Fix Everything,” a Bollywood inspired story. East Indian dancers from the Ellora Center for Performing Arts will perform. For more information, call (972) 721-4669.
Celebrating Central America and South America
The West Irving Library, 4444 W. Rochelle Road, will host a celebration of Central America and South America from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 10. Sue Young, bilingual singer and storyteller, kicks off the festival with Tales and Tunes of Latin America-Cantos y Cuentos. At 1 p.m., Calliope Puppets will present a marionette puppet show featuring traditional stories and music from the region. The festivities will conclude with a live demonstration and mini-workshop of Capoeira, a Brazilian art form that fuses martial arts with dance.
Celebrating Asia
The Central Library, 801 W. Irving Blvd., will host a celebration of Asian culture from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 10. Taiwanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Cambodian and Japanese culture will be showcased through native and folk dance demonstrations. Included are a fully costumed lion dance, live traditional music and Taiko drumming, calligraphy demonstrations, Chinese acrobatic performances, crafts and games. The festival will end with Taiwanese bubble tea from Chill Bubble Tea and food samples from various Asian restaurants.
Celebrating the Middle East
The East Branch, 440 S. Nursery Road, will host a celebration of Middle Eastern culture from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 17. The festivities will start with live camels dressed in cultural tapestries and a presentation by Doug Baum of the Texas Camel Corps on the history and culture of camels in the Middle East. The event will feature belly dancing, a puppet show of a traditional Middle Eastern tale, live music and food samples. Participants can stop by the henna tattoo booth to learn about the rich history of this art form and get a temporary tattoo.
“The library is excited about this opportunity to celebrate some of the many cultures of Irving, giving attendees a greater understanding and appreciation for our diversity in an engaging and entertaining way,” said Chris Dobson, library services manager. “Festival goers can feast on exotic flavors, see the vivid costumes and hear dynamic rhythms while learning about the unique history and traditions of each of the cultures showcased from Asia, Central America, South America and the Middle East.”
