Madison, Wis. – International Festival, a free event that has been hosted by Overture Center for more than 30 years, returns on Saturday, February 25, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. The festival celebrates Madison’s rich cultural heritage with returning and new performers and vendors who call Dane County home.

There is no charge for admission to the Festival, which provides an opportunity to learn about the many local businesses with global connections.  Attendees can enjoy more than 30 free performances throughout Overture by area artists. Vendors will have cuisines from around the world and arts and crafts available for purchase.

“International Festival embraces, supports and showcases cultural arts in our community without having to leave Madison,” said Ted DeDee, Overture’s President and CEO. “We [Overture Center] are a home for the arts for everyone, and this free event really celebrates the diversity among us. We are proud to provide a stage for individuals and cultures from around the globe who now call Dane County home.”

2017 International Festival Schedule

Overture Hall Lobby

10:30 AM | Swiss Alphorn Duet | Traditional 12-foot-long Swiss instruments open the festival.   

10:37 AM | Welcome – Ho-Chunk Nation Color Guard

11:00 AM | Zhong Yi Kung Fu Assoc. | “Choy Cheng:” the lion consumes “lettuce” & transforms it into “fortune.”

11:50 AM | Yid Vicious | Yiddish Klezmer dance music spanning generations from the old world to today.

12:55 PM | Sergio Rico Vacilon | Cuban Guajira, son of the 40s & 50s, takes you to tropical Cuba.              

1:55 PM | LuLu Quintet |Gypsy Jazz, traditional Romany music and French musettes to swing!

3:10 PM |Cris Plata | Indigenous Mexican and South Texas music with European influences.

4:15 PM | Atimevu Drum and Dance | Performing traditional music from Ghana, West Africa.

Promenade Hall

11:15 AM | Kioja Dance Team | Step dances combining military drill & African Welly “gumboot” dances.

12:10 PM | Bi Dana | Irish songs played with accordion, concertina, fiddle, Irish drum, bagpipes & tenor banjo.

1:25 PM | Sadira & the Riad Dance Co | Traditional & contemporary women’s dance of the Middle East.

2:10 PM | Ali Jamnia | A magical carpet ride into the world of Sufi storytelling with loved tales from Persia.           

2:55 PM | Raizes do Brasil Capoeira | Afro-Brazilian martial art/dance of Capoeira & stick dance Maculele.

3:45 PM | Mesoghios Dance Troup | Traditional dances from eastern Anatolia. 

4:40 PM | Tri Bratovchedki | Songs in the beautiful rhythms & harmonies of Eastern Europe sung a Capella.

Overture Hall

11:15 AM | UW Russian Folk Orchestra | Instrumental folk music of Russia & Eastern Europe

12:20 PM | Kalaanjali School of Dance | Bharatanatyam Indian dance with costumes & music from India.

1:10 PM | Last Gaspe | Contra dance band playing Canadian, Irish & American fiddle music that swings. 

2:25 PM | Danza Tradicional Mexicana | Presenting the culture, music & traditions of Mexico through dance.

3:10 PM | Madison Chinese Cultural Association | Performance promoting Chinese culture & traditions.

3:55 PM | Charanga Agoza | European ballroom & Afro-Cuban rhythm blending in a dance oriented sound.

Capitol Theater

11:15 AM | Madison Maennerchor | Traditional German choral music hymns, masters, festival & party songs.

12:10 PM | Mt Zion Gospel Church | Come enjoy songs from one of Madison’s best gospel choirs.

1:10 PM | Madison Pipes & Drums | Bagpipe & drum band playing pipe band music in the Scottish tradition.       

2:05 PM | Zaibas Lithuanian Dance | Popular Lithuanian folk dances performed in authentic national costumes.

3:00 PM | Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance | Fiery dances with rhythmic footwork, castanets & colorful costumes.

3:55 PM | Limanya Drum and Dance | Traditional music & dance from Guinea & Mali under the direction of Mandjou Mara.

Rotunda Stage

1:15 AM | Goongoo Peas | Interactive Caribbean folk music & music from the African Diaspora. 

12:20 PM | Taiwan Puppet Troup | Traditional Taiwanese puppet show promoting Taiwan & Taiwanese culture.

1:20 PM | Veseliyka | Bulgarian dance music from the Balkans played with traditional instruments.          

2:25 PM | Tani Diakite | Funk-Blues fusion music from Mali featuring traditional Malian instruments.

Promenade Lounge

UW Madison – International Reach is a cross-cultural speakers volunteer program placing international speakers in schools, campus venues, & community organizations for presentations, discussions, and/or conversations.  It provides opportunities for international students to share perspectives on their home countries for the purposes of furthering global education & intercultural dialogue.

11:45 AM | Kenya & Malaysia | Demonstration of wedding ceremonies & traditions.

12:55 PM | Turkey & China | Demonstration of wedding ceremonies & traditions.

1:55 PM | South Korea | Demonstration of wedding ceremonies & traditions.     

Overture’s International Festival is supported by Madison Community Foundation, CUNA Mutual Foundation, Friends of Overture, Ho-Chunk Gaming, and Dane Arts with additional funds from the Endres Mfg. Company Foundation, the Evjue Foundation Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times, the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation.

Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, ten resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in over half a million educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture.org