Join Summerfest on June 9 to Celebrate Discovery, Fun, and Learning

The College’s fourth annual Summerfest — a free, daylong celebration of discovery and global learning for all ages — will take place on campus from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 9.

The evening outdoor performance will feature Bichina Bia Congo, a high-energy Congolese dance and drum company based in Ann Arbor, Mich. Attendees will be invited to clap and dance along with company members to create a memorable “village” experience.

Summerfest also will showcase the Iowa premiere of the award-winning movie, Saints Rest, a musical drama set in small-town Iowa that was shot on location in Grinnell. Created by Noga Ashkenazi ’09 and Tyson Stock ‘09, the movie tells the story of two estranged sisters, who over the course of one summer, form a connection through their shared love of music, as they grieve the recent death of their mother. Saints Rest received an Audience Award at the 2018 River Run Film International Film Festival.

Ashkenazi and Stock will answer questions and provide a sneak peek of the movie, starting at 5 p.m. in Flanagan Studio Theatre in the Bucksbaum Center for the Arts, 1108 Park St., Grinnell. The first screening in Iowa will start at 8:30 p.m. in the Harris Center Cinema, 1114 10th Ave.

As part of Summerfest, Saint’s Rest also will be shown at The Strand, 921 Main St., on Sunday, June 10. The screening will begin at noon, followed at 1:30 p.m. by a question-and-answer session with Ashkenazi, the director. The screening is free and open to the public, although admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Saturday’s festivities will include engaging workshops, creative performances and family-oriented activities presented by area organizations and Grinnell faculty. Offerings include a Musical Tour of Mexico; workshops about songwriting, drawing, steel drums and circus acts; and live music by the Nola Jazz Band, Katie Sin, Quad Cities Ballet Folklorico, Too Many Strings Band, River Glen Breitbach and Amy Andrews.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase on campus. Vendors will include O’s Grill, Dragon Wagon BBQ, Scratch Cupcakery Curbside, Hungry Rooster, Island Vybz, and Kona Ice.

Summerfest events will be held both outdoors and inside campus buildings. Attendees are asked to come prepared to be outdoors throughout the day. In the event of rain, events will be moved inside. A campus map and full schedule are available online.