HONORING ZORA NEALE HURSTON

CCH POUNDER, PEABO BRYSON, MISS RUBY DEE AND SONIA SANCHEZ HEADLINE FESTIVAL HONORING ZORA NEALE HURSTON Impressive Corps of Entertainers Head to Central Florida to Pay Tribute to Hurston and Her Hometown, Eatonville, FL; The Nation’s Oldest Incorporated African-American Municipality

Photos by Ted Hollins

Eatonville, FL (BlackNews.com) - Each year, in the last week of January, thousands of tourists travel throughout Orlando and the surrounding areas, including the Town of Eatonville, Florida, the nation’s oldest incorporated African-American municipality, located less than 30 minutes from Downtown Orlando, FL. The main attraction; however, is not a theme park attraction, but rather, the annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities. Now, in its 19th year, this arts, entertainment and cultural phenomenon kicks off January 26 - February 3, 2008 and this year, will continue to attract visitors from all over the world to experience the event’s impressive lineup of regarded entertainers, artists, scholars and more; all designed to celebrate the life and hometown (Eatonville, FL) of the regarded Harlem Renaissance author, Zora Neale Hurston, whose literary works have been hailed by leading scholars to Oprah Winfrey.

This multi-day affair has evolved into a national event, named “One of 25 Cultural Tourism Success Stories” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation; received the “Regional Destination Award in the Humanities” from the Cultural Olympiad; was named “One of the Top 100 Events in North America” by the American Bus Association and named one of Newsday’s “Top Picks.” It attracts world-renowned personalities from the scholarly, arts, cultural and entertainment sectors.

This year’s festival’s lineup will bring together scholars from Canada to the Caribbean; along with appearances from entertainers, including soul sensation Peabo Bryson, inspirational Gospel leader Dr. Bobby Jones, critically-acclaimed actresses CCH Pounder, beloved festival supporter and legendary actress Miss Ruby Dee and more.

The festival kicks off with the opening of the newest exhibit at the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts (”The Hurston”) entitled Kindred Spirits. Attendees can explore the festival’s theme, Ritual and Spirituality in the African Diaspora: An Exploration of the Zora Neale Hurston Legacy through less well-known form of installation art. Artists Betye Saar and Mildred Howard explore how art is made from “myth and ritual, memory and place, religion and family, metaphor and symbolism, music, light, tradition and found objects.”

Attendees will have the opportunity to celebrate Zora Neale Hurston’s legacy through appearances by four other noted female figures. An Evening with the Poet features the celebrated Sonia Sanchez; In Conversation with Louise Meriwether, a veteran literary voice who was the first Black story analyst in Hollywood’s history, and the author of several books including, Daddy Was A Number Runner. And the annual Zora Neale Hurston Arts and Humanities Lecture will be delivered by award-winning actress CCH Pounder, currently of the hit FX series The Shield. Noted actress of the stage and screen and beloved festival supporter, Miss Ruby Dee, will make a special appearance at the festival’s gala dinner with a reading of Boscoe and the Devil, a folk tale she has adapted from the work of Arthur P. Davis.

Sam Rivers and the Rivbea Orchestra will perform in a concert developed exclusively for the festival on Friday, February 1. Rivers is renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest living jazz legend and has performed with artists of various genres, including blues, jazz, and avant-garde, such as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, B.B. King, Cecil Taylor and many more.

The annual HATitude! brunch is a must-see event which celebrates Zora’s illustrious flair for trend-setting hats. Attendees are given the chance to walk a fashionable mile in Zora’s shoes by showcasing their favorite hat. Celebrated hat designer Harriet Rosebud will be displaying some of her original pieces as well as unveiling an exclusive ZORA! collectible. This event open to men, women and children and a hat is required for entry. Attendees will enjoy a theatrical performance by members of the Orlando’s People’s Theater, a hat stroll, an elegant brunch and more.

Academicians hailing from institutions from Canada to the Caribbean will lead a series of panels developing the ideas which won them a place on the ZORA! Festival Humanities Program. The humanities talks will cover a variety of topics, including religion, music, spirituality, and tradition within different cultures. These panels will take place on Friday, February 1 and Saturday, February 2 at Rollins College.

The Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities is held in venues throughout Orange County, with the Street Festival of the Arts held in Eatonville, Florida, the nation’s oldest incorporated black municipality, established in 1887. This multi-disciplinary, multi-day celebration of the arts and humanities is organized and presented by The Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community, Inc. (P.E.C.), a membership-based, tax exempt, historic preservation organization established in 1988. The festival has been a celebrated event of the Central Florida community since 1990 and annual attracts over 50,000 locals and tourists. The festival is named in honor of the 20th century charismatic literary figure, Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960), the dominant female voice of the Harlem Renaissance. The festival also celebrates the historical significance of her hometown, Eatonville, as well as the cultural contributions people of African ancestry have made to the United States and world culture.

A full schedule of events is available at www.zorafestival.com. For further information, contact (800) 972-3310 or (407) 647-3131; info@zorafestival.com.

For media credentials, please contact TJM Communications, Inc., 407-265-1823; dipika@tjmcommunications.com.

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