On Friday, January 22, 2016 the Zora Neale Hurston FestivalTM of the Arts and Humanities producers, presenters and partners announced the 27th annual festival details and collaborations. This year’s festival will be a celebration of the 125th birthday of festival namesake writer, anthropologist and folklorist Zora Neal Hurston and is a multi-day, multi-disciplinary event. Activities will begin Saturday, December 23 with a Dinner “Inspired by Zora” to a highly anticipated outdoor festival the weekend from Friday, January 29 ending Sunday, January 31 featuring gospel headliner, Hezekiah Walker. Held in historic Eatonville, Maitland and Orange County, Florida, the festival commemorates the life of one of the 20th century’s influential renaissance women as well as her hometown, Eatonville and its people.
“Hurston’s body of work and unique style transcends time as she remains highly regarded as one of the shining stars of the Harlem Renaissance who continues to fascinate festival loyalist world-wide,” stated N.Y. Nathiri, executive director of the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community (P.E.C.). Nathiri was joined by P.E.C. board president, Marie-Jose Francois, M.D., as well as a host of other partners, sponsors and supporters such as; Orange County District 6 Commissioner, Victoria P. Siplin; the nephew of Zora Neale Hurston, ADD NAME; Visit Florida’s, Kristen ADD NAMES OF ATTENDEES THAT NEED TO BE MENTIONED.
Highlights of the 2016 festival includes:
· The Dinner “Inspired by Zora” based on the book Zora Neale Hurston of Florida Food by Fred Opie, Ph.D.
· Unveiling of Alanta Artist Lynn Marshall-Linnemier’s The Journey Projects: Eatonville and gallery talk exhibition curated by Jerushia Graham
· Zora’s Cosmos Mobile Tour: Eatonville and Beyond featuring historic sites in Eatonville and Maitland accompanied by a fried fish lunch
· Educational programming In Conversation: the Zora Neale Hurston I Remember including relatives and individuals of relatives that were close friends
· The highly anticipated debut of Spunk and the Harlem Literati, an adaptation by Be Boyd, based on the play Spunk by Zora Neale Hurston
· The popular HATitude Party & Luncheon
· The Outdoor Festival of the Arts including the sold out Zora! Stem conference as well as a mainstage concert of various entertainers including Rock and Roll Hall of famers the Isley Brothers.
“This year The Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community (P.E.C.) conference maintains our commitment to provide something for everyone from toddlers to the forever young”, said Nathiri, executive director of festival producer, P.E.C. “We are grateful to those that have made the 2016 possible through their support and partnership.”
Alternative Roots, a southern-based arts service organization is the festival’s newest partner and will host this year’s welcome reception at the Winter Park Civic Center. Other supporting partners include Orange County Government Arts & Cultural Affairs Program, White Glove Entertainment, Florida Blue, the UCF College of Arts & Humanities and the Zora Neale Hurston Institute for Documentary Studies and Visit Orlando.
