Peru to Headline 49th Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Peru to Headline 49th Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The Republic of Peru Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR) is partnering with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage to highlight the destination of Peru as a cultural hub.

LIMA, Peru, June 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Peru is the featured country at the 49(th) Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival kicking off the summer season in Washington, D.C. Beginning June 24-June 28 and July 1-July 5 from 11 AM to 5:30 PM, the National Mall will unveil the many hidden treasures of Peru's culturally rich heritage. Peru is set to make history as the first destination to be the sole focus of the entire event.

The 10 day outdoor festival, adjacent to the National Museum, is a family friendly event that will include 12 cultural experiences led by 120 Peruvians from various regions in Peru. Participants will be able to visualize a trip to Peru through the manifestation of traditional processions, dances, musical concerts, theatre, poetry, culinary workshops, handcraft lessons and more!

Of the many manifestations will include the "Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen de Paucartambo." Paucartambo, a small village in Cusco, famous for their four day festival every July featuring dancers in colorful costumes accompanied by the music of the accordion, violin, flute and bass. This massive event will be recreated with a similar procession including groups of dancers accompanied by musicians, stage presentations, masks and musical instrument making, cloth making, cloth exhibition, dance workshops and culinary traditions of the party. Another major initiative will be the construction of a rope bridge or q'eswachaka. A pre-Inca tradition, the hanging bridge is woven over a period of three days using raw materials by approximately 1,000 locals. This tradition was recently inscribed on UNESCO's representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and considered a sacred expression of the communities' bond with nature, tradition and history, and the annual renewal is accompanied by ritual ceremonies. The bridge measures over one hundred feet long and about 4 feet wide. During the Festival, visitors will witness the construction of the braided bridge which will become a permanent part of the collection at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

"We are excited to partner with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival this year, and to be the sole focus of the entire festival is truly an honor" says Magali Silva Velarde-Alvarez, Peru's Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism. "We have the opportunity to showcase Peru's dynamic tourism experiences."

Peru is a top travel destination ranked among the top international countries to visit by The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA). Travelers can immerse into the country's cultural treasures as they uncover the ancient roots of the Inca Empire in Cusco fused with the Spanish Colonial legacy. Adventure travelers can explore the natural thrills of the Amazon and the Andes. Culinary travelers can get a taste of why the World Travel Awards named Peru one of the World's Top Culinary Destinations.

For more information on how accredited media can visit the 2015 Smithsonian Folklife Festival please contact Laura Cyrille at laura.cyrille@aboutdci.com. For more information on Peru please visit http://www.peru.travel/en-us/.

About the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, inaugurated in 1967, honors people from across the United States and around the world. The Festival unites presenters and performers in the nation's capital to celebrate the diversity of cultural traditions. It is produced by the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

SOURCE Peru Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR)

Peru Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR)

CONTACT: Megan McHale, Email: megan.mchale@aboutdci.com, Phone : 212-444-7135; or Laura Cyrille, Email: laura.cyrille@aboutdci.com, Phone: 212-444-7106


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