Washington State Parks

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News Release 11-030

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W., P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, (360) 902-8500
Don Hoch, Director

Deception Pass State Park plays host to the American Roots music series

OLYMPIA – Jun. 21, 2011 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Folk Arts in the Parks Program invites the public to the American Roots music series at Deception Pass State Park.

American Roots music series performances begin 7 p.m. Saturdays starting July 16 through Aug. 6 at Deception Pass State Park, 41020 State Route 20, Oak Harbor. Local artists will perform a variety American music styles in celebration of traditional folk music from the Pacific Northwest. The American Roots music series is free to the public. The Discover Pass is not required to attend these performances.

All performances take place in the West Beach amphitheater on the Whidbey Island side of the park, unless raining. If raining, performances will move to the East Cranberry Lake picnic shelter, also on the Whidbey Island side of the park.

Performers are scheduled as follows:
July 16 – A Moment in Time: An African-American a cappella gospel quartet from the Seattle area. The quartet often performs at Pike Place Market in Seattle
July 23 – Northfork: Ranching rhymes and cowboy songs from Central Washington’s Ahtanum North Fork near Yakima by Sharon “Silver” Glenn and George Thomsen
July 30 – Ernest Queen and Queen’s Bluegrass: Traditional bluegrass and Southern Gospel music from the Skagit Valley “Tar Heel” community
Aug. 6 – Juan Manuel Barco & His Conjunto: Original songs and traditional music from the TexMex border and the Yakima Valley

The series is accessible to persons with disabilities. If special accommodations are required in order to attend the event, please call (360) 675-3767 or the Washington Telecommunications Relay Service (800) 833-6388. Requests must be made in advance.

Deception Pass State Park is a 4,134-acre marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater of shoreline, and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on three lakes. The park is best known for views of Deception Pass and Bowman Bay, old-growth forests, abundant wildlife and the historic Deception Pass Bridge. The Bowman Bay area is accessible from Rosario Road, off State Route 20, by Pass Lake.

The American Roots music series is part of a broader series of events celebrating Washington’s diverse cultures and presented by the Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program. The program is a partnership between the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington State Arts Commission and Northwest Heritage Resources with funding provided by National Endowment for the Arts and the Washington State Arts Commission program grants. For a full schedule of Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program events, visit www.parks.wa.gov/events.

The Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation. The 98-year-old park system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.

Washington State Parks is now on Twitter at WaStatePks_NEWS and YouTube at WashingtonStateParks.

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