Summer Solstice Festival |
PRESS
RELEASE
SCBA NO. 120303-634 CI |
|
|
|
|
THE ANNUAL SUMMER SOLSTICE FOLK MUSIC
FESTIVAL
CELEBRATES ITS TWENTY FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
WOODLAND HILLS, CA -- The California Traditional
Music Society’s 25th Annual Summer Solstice Folk Music, Dance and
Storytelling Festival – one of America’s premiere family folk
events with non-stop interactive performances and workshops for children
and their parents – will be held on the weekend of the Summer Solstice,
June 22, 23 and 24, 2007, at the Warner Center Marriott Hotel, 21850 Oxnard
Street, Woodland Hills, California.
The California Traditional Music Society’s
(CTMS) Summer Solstice Festival was first held in 1981 at the Greystone
Mansion in Beverly Hills. The Greystone Mansion provided a wonderful location
for the Festival for five years. When the Festival outgrew the available
parking in Beverly Hills, it was moved to the campus of California State
University, Northridge. The Festival was held at Northridge for five years,
until construction at the University forced another move. This time the
Festival moved to the campus of Soka University of America, in Calabasas,
in 1991. “The Soka University site was almost ideal for the Festival
– plenty of space for workshops and parking, a beautiful setting,
and a normally pleasant climate,” said Chris Warber, CTMS Executive
Director.
In 2005, a collection of park agencies
and interests acquired the 588-acre site in Calabasas from Soka University.
The plan was that much of the site would remain as the Calabasas Campus
of Soka University until January 2008, under a lease-back arrangement,
providing both the University and the park agencies with an opportunity
to make an orderly transition of operations. CTMS had expected to hold
the 2007 Festival under Soka University control, and then transition to
working with the new owners. However, in late 2006 Soka University informed
us that they would be leaving their Calabasas Campus by May of 2007 and
the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) would be talking
over the property (which they call the King Gillette Ranch, after its
original owner.)
This means that MRCA would be moving
on to the grounds during the same period as the Festival. After discussions
with MRCA, the State Parks, and the National Parks, all of whom are involved
in property, the CTMS Board of Directors became concerned about our ability
to hammer out an acceptable (to both parties) contract with the MRCA in
a timely manner. The Board was also concerned with CTMS’ ability
to provide a quality event given the uncertainties of the transition period.
They were concerned that issues would arise that they would not be able
to resolve until late in the festival process because MRCA would not know
the answers until they actually took over the property. Consequently,
the CTMS Board concluded that their duty to the organization dictated
that CTMS should not hold the Summer Solstice Festival at the Soka University
site in 2007.
We are actively looking at several alternate
future sites for 2008 and beyond. This year, however, we decided to hold
the Festival at the Warner Center Marriott, in Woodland Hills. CTMS will
be taking over much of the public and meeting space of the Hotel. “We
will, with careful planning, hold a festival only slightly smaller that
last year’s Festival at Soka,” said Warber.
CTMS is committed to keeping the Summer
Solstice Festival going because it is so wonderfully unique. The Festival
attracts individuals and families who love the music for a weekend of
"hands on" workshops where skills, repertoire and technique
are taught by masters of traditional music. In addition there are formal
and informal jam sessions, dances, and concert performances by some of
America’s best-loved and respected folk musicians, singers and storytellers.
Additionally, there will be workshops introducing children to a variety
of folk instruments, as well as a concert stage just for kids.
The audience comes from all over Los
Angeles County, the state of California, the United States and Canada.
The Festival employs 100 Folk Music artists and has over 300 local volunteers
during the weekend. Planning for the Festival begins 18 months before
the Festival and it takes 10,000 hours of volunteer labor to execute the
plan. It is a massive undertaking, a logistic operation with incredible
artistic achievement, known for excellence throughout the world.
The Summer Solstice Folk Music Festival
opens at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 22 with the much anticipated traditional
contra dance and a storytelling concert. Admission for the Friday dance
and storytelling concert is $10 per person. There will be also be a contra
dance on Saturday night (admission $10).
Saturday and Sunday hours are 9 a.m.
to 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $20 per person per day in advance, or $25
at the gate. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paid
adult, and there is a reduced price of $20 at the gate for students with
a current school ID. Reduced prices are available for people who buy tickets
for both days. The Saturday evening concert is $12 in advance or $15 at
the gate for open seating; reserved seating is available for $25 [advance
purchase only; call 818.817.7756].
For more information, advance ticket
purchases, or volunteering, call 818.817.7756 or visit the CTMS website
at www.ctmsfolkmusic.org.
The California Traditional Music Society
is a Non-profit Tax Exempt 501(c)(3) Educational Corporation
Mailing Address: 4401 Trancas Place, Tarzana, CA 91356-5399 818 817-7756
FAX: 818 817-7734
email: info@ctmsfolkmusic.org
website: www.ctmsfolkmusic.org
### |
