Post Event Update
Attendance at the Parade and Festival reached approximately 7,500 people.
Winners of the Parade Entry Contest are as follows:
* Best Adaptation to the Theme = City of Goodyear Float
* Most Entertaining = Agua Fria/Verrado High School Band
* Best Overall Appearance = City of Avondale Float
AVONDALE, Arizona – The cities of Avondale and Goodyear will celebrate the multi-cultural flavor of the Southwest Valley with an internationally-themed Tale of Two Cities Parade & Festival on Saturday, Feb 22, 2014. This third annual community-wide celebration is a family-friendly event, and is free and open to the public. Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) will again be the host of the festival and U.S. Naturalization Ceremony.
This year's Grand Marshal of the parade will be Phoenix International Raceway (PIR), with a celebrated representative from PIR leading the parade in pace car style. PIR is being honored this year as 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the racetrack in the Southwest Valley, where some of the greatest drivers in international motorsports history have turned laps on the famed one-mile oval.
Abraham Calderon of Monterrey, Mexico, who took the checkered flag last November in the NASCAR Toyota 120, will lead more than 85 entries in the parade, which kicks off at 10 a.m. and takes place along Thomas Road, from Litchfield to Dysart Roads.
The NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series, which Calderon dominated to take his first NASCAR career win, marked the first time one of NASCAR’s international series raced in the United States. It returns for the second year in a row on Feb 28.
With a 10 a.m. scheduled start, the parade will begin at the Goodyear Community Park, heads south on Litchfield Road to Thomas Road, then heads east on Dysart, ending at the festival site at EMCC. The festival will run from noon to 3:00 p.m., offering two stages with music and dance, culture, world food, vendor and education booths. For further information, visit www.taleof2cities.org or call Avondale Recreation at 623-333-2400.
Tale of Two Cities Parade & Festival - International Celebration
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Parade: 10:00 a.m.
Festival: noon - 3:00 p.m.
Estrella Mountain Community College - 3000 North Dysart Road; Avondale, AZ
Parade of Cultures
The parade will promote various cultures from around the globe, with music and performances from a variety of artists to complement the experience. With approximately 80 parade entries, the procession will also include decorated floats, marching school bands, cultural dance groups, local celebrities and state political figures, celebrated mascots, foreign makes of antique and specialty vehicles, community and school clubs, scouts, and more.
A World of Performances, an honoring of diversity
Stage entertainment will feature a series of performances representing many of the world's cultures. Fans of dance will enjoy Native American, Mexican Folklorico, Polynesian, and even Middle Eastern dances among others. Numerous musical performers will also appear, performing a variety of world music styles.
The festival will host a Naturalization Ceremony on the Ceremonial Plaza Stage at noon, where 150 of America’s newest citizens will take oath, presented by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
**Ceremonial Plaza Stage**
noon - 12:45 - Naturalization Ceremony (Keynote Speaker: Bram Resnick, Channel 12)
**Main Stage**
11:15 - 11:45 - Drumming Sounds (interactive performance with drums from around the world
noon - 12:45 - Closed during Naturalization Ceremony
12:50 - 1:20 - Dynanic Wushu (Chinese Martial Arts demo)
1:30 - 2:00 - Ballet Folklorico (Traditional Mexican Dance)
2:10 - 2:35 - Maquire Academy Irish Step Dancing
2:40 - 3:00 - Ignite, Tolleson High School International Jazz Band
** Cultural Stage (Food Court)**
11:30 - noon - Didgeridoo Australia
noon - 12:45 - Closed during Naturalization Ceremony
12:45 - 1:15 - Kawambe African Drumming Group
1:25 - 2:05 - StarWorld, Student Martial Arts
2:15 - 3:00 - Middle Eastern Belly Dancers
A World of Cuisine
Food vendors will be offering authentic foods from nations around the world such as Greek, Mexican, Indonesian, Asian, Native American, Cambodian, Caribbean, Moroccan and Jamaican.
Kid's Zone
Children will be able to take part in free activities and fun. The zone will include a bounce house, rock wall, wave slide, carnival games, face painting, and crafts for the kids.
Exhibits/Booths
Vendors, businesses, community organizations and sponsors, as well as city services from Avondale and Goodyear, will be participating to provide information and opportunities. Arts, crafts and food booths help create the international theme.
SouthWest Skill Center Open House
During the Festival, the SouthWest Skill Center @ EMCC will have an Open House between 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. with program information and tours of interactive labs. The Skill Center offers many short-term, job training programs in both the Industrial Skills and Healthcare industries. Visitors can enter to win a 20" kids Freestyle Thruster Bike! SEE FLYER.
Parking
Free parking will be available at St. Thomas Aquinas Church (enter from 137th Ave.), Palm Valley Elementary (enter from 135th Ave.) and Estrella Mountain Community College (enter from the North, off Dysart Rd).