WHO:               Seattle Center

WHAT:              Seattle Center Winterfest 2009 Opening Weekend.

This spirited, seasonal five-week festival opens with an inspiring performance by Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. Seattle Mayor Nickels officially ushers in Winterfest at a celebratory opening ceremony. The weekend continues with Winter Worldfest and a full schedule of performances by the region's most entertaining ethnic artists. Pacific Cascade Big Band takes to Center House Stage Saturday evening for big band dancing with Arthur Murray Dance. All of these events are free and open to the public.

Winterfest also offers Saturday afternoon ice sculpting and fireside sing-alongs. Winter Train and Village return this year, along with Winterfest Ice Rink and Classic Carousel. Seattle Center Winterfest is promoted as part of Holidays in the City.

WHEN:             Nov. 27 - 29 (full festival runsNovember 27 - December 31)

WHERE:           Seattle Center campus, showered in thousands of sparkling holiday lights.

Performances take place on Center House Stage.

IMAGES:          www.seattlecenter.com/library, login: digitallibrary password: images;

INFO:               206-684-7200 or www.seattlecenter.com

Event Listing for Nov. 27 - 29:

Winter Worldfest
Friday, Nov. 27, 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 28, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 29, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Center House
Winterfest's cultural festival features some of the region's best ethnic entertainment. Watch as the world comes to life in music and dance with performances from Ireland, India, Africa, Brazil, Japan and more.  Take in the culture of other lands, or search for unique holiday gifts without having to leave the Center House. The Holiday World Market offers goods from Russia and Istanbul.

Ice Sculpting
Saturday, Nov. 28, 12 noon - 2 p.m.
Outside Fisher Pavilion
Artistry and ice unite in a glorious and temporal expression of the season as internationally acclaimed, award-winning artists create seasonal sculptures. Watch while they work or stop by later to see the glistening result. Each Saturday an ice master will carve a different design.

Fireside Singing
Saturday, Nov. 28; 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Outside Fisher Pavilion
Share in warmth and music around the crackling flames of a bonfire. Folksinger Hank Cramer will lead passers-by in a mix of original, traditional and contemporary holiday songs as embers illuminate the night.

Winterfest Everyday
The following Seattle Center Winterfest attractions are available any day of the week. Extended dates for Ice Rink and Classic Carousel:  November 27 - January 3

Winter Train and Village
Nov. 27 - Dec. 31, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Center House

The Winter Train and Village, erected each year in Center House, takes you back in time to a miniature turn-of-the-century town, complete with buildings, lights, snow and a towering train depot. Step up to the conductor's seat and drive the train through town or take in the wintery scenery from the sidelines.

Winterfest Ice Rink
Nov. 27 - Jan. 3
Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fisher Pavilion, $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 - 12. Skate rental: $2. Cash only.
The light-filled, 12,600 sq-ft. Fisher Pavilion is transformed into a skateable winter wonderland. Offering inside skating at its best, the Ice Rink accommodates all levels of expertise, from novice to Olympiad.

Classic Carousel
Nov. 27 - Jan. 4
Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Outside Fisher Pavilion, $1 per ride

Take your seat on one of the brightly painted horses and watch while the world spins by.  The Classic Carousel is part of the Winterfest tradition, a perennial favorite that provides old-fashioned fun for the whole family.

10th Annual Winter Worldfest
Friday, Nov. 28, 1pm - 6pm
Saturday, Nov. 29, 10am - 5pm
Sunday, Nov. 30, 11am - 5pm
Center House, FREE
Winterfest's cultural festival features some of the region's best ethnic entertainment. Watch as the world comes to life in music and dance. Take in the culture or search for unique holiday gifts without leaving Center House. The Holiday World Market offers goods from Russia, China and Istanbul. ethnicheritagecouncil.org.

Schedule subject to change

Friday, November 27, 1 - 6pm:

1:00* - 1:45pm        Keith Highlanders Pipe Band and Marian Webb School of Highland Dance

                              * Winterfest Opening Ceremony & Tree Lighting

2:00 - 2:45pm         "One Crazy Raven" - Native American Stories & Music by Gene Tagaban

3:00 - 3:45pm         Ocheami - Music, Dance & Stories from Ghana, West Africa
4:00 - 4:30pm         Main Street Cloggers - Traditional Appalachian Clogging

4:45 - 5:15pm         Kisbetyárok - Hungarian American Association of Washington
5:30 - 6:00pm         Bokréta Hungarian Dance Ensemble

Saturday, November 28, 10am - 5pm:

10:00 - 10:25am      Yang ChengFu Tai Chi Chuan Center - Performance of Traditional Tai Chi
10:30 - 11:00am      Urvasi - Classical Odissi From India
11:05 - 11:30am      Northwest Wushu - Chinese Martial Arts

11:45 - 12:15pm      Katrilli Finnish Folkdancers - Lucia Procession & Holiday Dances of Finland

12:30 - 1:00pm       Joyas Mestizas - Mexican Folkloric Dance of Mexico

Sunday, November 29, 11am - 5pm:

11:00 - 11:30am      Shahrazad Folk Dance Ensemble of Seattle -

                              Folkloric Dances of Arab Gulf States, Egypt Turkey & Iran

11:45 - 12:15pm      Folkvoice Band - Folksongs of Europe

12:30 - 1:15pm        Halau Hula O' Napualani - Hawaiian - Pacific Island Songs and Traditional Dances

1:30 - 2:00pm          Melody Dance Group - Chinese Folk, Traditional & Modern Dance

2:15 - 3:15pm          Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble & Rue Dalmatinke Orchestra -

                              Dances & Music of Croatia

3:30 - 4:00pm          Enzian Schuhplattler - German Bavarian & Austrian Folkdance and Schuhplattler

4:15 - 5:00pm          La Peña Flamenca de Seattle - Spanish Flamenco Music & Dance

                              From Southern Spain with a Holiday Theme

About Seattle Center Winterfest

The spirit of the season comes alive at Seattle Center Winterfest 2009 with five spectacular weeks of world-class entertainment, cutting-edge performers and enticing activities for one and all, November 27 - December 31. Seattle Center Winterfest is presented with generous support from Seattle Center Foundation, Seattle's Child, Seattle Weekly and the City of Seattle.

About the Holidays in the City

Holidays in the City, a marketing collaboration of the Downtown Seattle Association/ Metropolitan Improvement District, Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau and Seattle Center, highlights the unique and enriching holiday experience of Seattle's city center, from Seattle Center to Pioneer Square. The goal of the campaign is to enhance the economic impact of the 2009 holiday season by promoting the diversity and wealth of holiday attractions, events and promotions that make Seattle's center city the premier holiday destination in the Northwest. Campaign organizers hope to expand the campaign in future years to leverage greater seasonal growth in retail, restaurant, hotel, arts and entertainment and other Seattle business. For more information, including event calendars, hot deals and more, visit www.downtownholidays.com

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