Rainier Beach Arts & Music (BAAM) Fest "Our Story" Telling It Like It Is Saturday, July 23rd

(This is a sponsored post)

Culturally Inclusive Spoken Word, Storytelling, Visual Art, Dance, & Music Take Center Stage

Our story in Rainier Valley is one of deep cultural and social complexity, of powerful youth, talent, and heartbreaking beauty. No one can tell that story better than we can during Rainier Beach Arts and Music (BAAM) Fest Saturday, July 23^rd, activating the Rainier Beach Community Center Plaza (8825 Rainier Ave S.) from 11 am — 7 pm. Link to performance schedule can be found HERE.

Presented by the Rainier Beach Merchants Association, BAAMFest is a cultural arts extravaganza celebrating one of the most culturally, economically, and socially diverse communities in the United States, through spoken word, cultural dance, live music, visual arts, and storytelling.

Some BAAMFest Highlights:

Art

• Flag Day installation by Ethiopian artist Yeggy Michael highlighting the contribution of immigrants to US history.
• Live graffiti art mural and spoken word project with beat boxing, poetry by local artists Essam, Al Madani and friends, exploring the struggles of the local Muslim community to find social justice in current American culture.
• "Apology," "Hidden Gems of Aging," and "Breasts" installations by 80-year old lesbian artist Sandra Jo Palm.
• Vietnamese War Elders photo essay by South Seattle Emerald intern Jeff Nguyen.
• Pratt Fine Arts Center demo and workshop room.

Performance

• Grace Love & the True Loves
• Massive Monkees break dance world champs
• New Revelations Gospel Choir
• Rhythms of India Bollywood Dance & Workshop
• SANCA Circus School Youth Troupe
• Ocheami Interactive African Dance & Drumming

Storytelling

• Welcome by Duwamish Tribe Elder and Chief Sealth's 4^th Great Grandson, Ken Workman
• Native American Coast Salish Wsaanich — Paul Oke Che Ten Wegner
• Jewish in Seattle — Rabbi Kate Speizer
• KUOW Public Radio StoryCorps Listening Room
• Under Our Skin Project Installation— Seattle Times

Workshops & Demos

• Create Your Own Graphic Novel
• Looking at Modern Art
• Pratt Fine Arts Center artist demos

Fun for the Whole Family

• Chalk Art, Flying Disc, and Haiku Contests
• Art Activities
• Bouncy House
• Giant Chess and Det. Cookie Chess Club
• Seattle Humane Society Max Mobile
• Puppy Pools and Dog Art
• Bike Works Bike Mobile
• Food trucks
• Free Flying Discs while supplies last!

Event Details:

Saturday, July 23rd

11:00 am — 7:00 pm

Rainier Beach Community Center Plaza

8825 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118

Rainier BAAMFest is generously sponsored by Seattle Office of Economic Development's Only in Seattle program, Vulcan, Safeway, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Third Place Books, Raconteur, Seattle Parks/Rainier Beach Community Center, Ron Angeles, Dorothy Driver Real Estate, Greater Seattle SCORE, Rainier Valley Community Development Fund, The Critter Camp, Merrill & Merrill Insurance, Rainier Dance Center, Rainier Valley Food Bank, Redwing Cafe, Rainier Beach Community Center, Pizzeria Pulcinella, King County Libraries, and a host of additional passionate local businesses.

For a full list of performances and activities or for more information go to www.RainierBAAMFest.com, or contact Maia Segura at 206-898-7090, maia@rainierbeachsquare.com.

The Rainier Beach Merchants Association is a non-profit business and community group organized to support and advance all business, professional, civic, and cultural interests, which will give the Rainier Beach Community an opportunity to unite in pursuit of common interests and improve the quality of life. www.rainierbeachmerchants.com