Washington State Parks

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News Release 12-069

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

Peace Arch State Park plays host to international concert series

OLYMPIA – July 17, 2012 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Folk Arts in the Parks Program invites the public to the Peace Arch International Concert Series at Peace Arch State Park along the Canadian border in Whatcom County.

The hour-long outdoor concerts are 2 p.m. Sundays from Aug. 5 to Sept. 2 at Peace Arch State Park, 100 A Street in Blaine. In celebration of the Pacific Northwest’s diverse cultures, the series features music and dance performances by Caribbean, Filipino, Indian, Iranian, Latin American and Polynesian artists. Admission to all concert performances is free. The Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to the concerts.

Performances are scheduled as follows:

• Aug. 5: Music and dance by Sayaw, the University of Washington Filipino American Student Association performance troupe
• Aug. 12: Polynesian music and dance by the Kalevaria Somoan United Methodist Church of Tacoma youth group
• Aug. 19: Iranian music and dance by Daneshvar Music Ensemble
• Aug. 26: Latin American and Caribbean acoustic music by Los Flacos
• Sept. 2: Contemporary Indian dance by Bollywood Seattle

All concerts are accessible to persons with disabilities. If special accommodations are required in order to attend the concert events, please call (360) 902-8526 or the Washington Telecommunications Relay Service (800) 833-6388. Requests must be made in advance.

The Peace Arch International Concert 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 grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Washington State Arts Commission, and the Washington State Parks Foundation. For a full schedule of Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program events, visit www.parks.wa.gov/events.

Peace Arch State Parks is a day-use park that commemorates treaties and agreements that arose from the War of 1812. Celebrating the unguarded United States/Canadian border that stretches from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Peace Arch State Park features horticultural exhibitions and the giant, commemorative, concrete arch that straddles the border of the two nations. The United States and Canada co-maintain the monument.

The park is located at 100 A Street in Blaine, adjacent to the Peace Arch Port of Entry, where Interstate 5 and British Columbia Highway 99 connect. From the American side of the border, take Exit 276 from I-5. From the Canadian side, enter on foot through Peace Arch Provincial Park from the parking lot at the Highway 99 Beach Road exit. Canadian residents entering on foot may attend the concerts without customs or border-crossing formalities.

Stay connected to your state parks by following Washington State Parks at www.facebook.com/WashingtonStateParks, www.twitter.com/WaStatePks_NEWS and www.youtube.com/WashingtonStateParks. Share your favorite state park adventure on the new State Parks’ blog site at www.AdventureAwaits.com.

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 99-year-old park system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.

Support state parks by purchasing your annual Discover Pass today, and enjoy a whole year of outdoor fun on Washington’s beautiful state-managed recreation lands. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.

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