Zumerfest – a Celebration of Yiddish Culture, June 21, 2009 – Free

Here’s a fun-sounding summer event for you. Zumerfest is part of the Montreal International Yiddish Festival, which includes music, plays and more.

What: Zumerfest, a celebration of Yiddish culture, Father’s Day and Montreal’s diversity – a day of music, theatre, dance and art in the park, along with music stage shows.

STAGE SHOW – M.C.: Mendy Cahan is front man of the YXP -Yiddish Express band and the founder and director of Yung Yidish, an organization in Israel that gets young people enthusiastic about Yiddish through concerts and cultural events. He also saves Yiddish books. Yung Yidish has centres in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.

HEADLINER: SoCalled (a.k.a. Josh Dolgin & Band) Montrealer SoCalled is a Yiddish rapping, accordion wielding, Klezmer-hip hop maestro. Spanning multiple genres, from Chassidic to funk, Socalled has been a favorite at festivals and venues world-wide. He has appeared on a dozen recordings as pianist, singer, arranger, rapper, writer and producer.

· Featuring: Beyond the Pale a Canadian Klezmer band that has been amazing audiences from California to Crakow. With virtuosity and showmanship, the group performs a cross-cultural repertoire of original and traditional Eastern-European music influenced by the sounds of Klezmer, Roma and Serbian styles.

Special Guests include: Danielle Guillaume (a Haitian singer who will sing a song in Yiddish) & Panday Tinig Choral Ensemble (a Pilipino choir that will sing in Yiddish)

There will also be circus performers, magicians, jam sessions, dance workshops, Theatre in the Park, puppets, face painting, arts & crafts.

Where: Segal Centre – 5170 Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montréal  514-739-2301

Cost: Free

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