The 27th Annual Harmony Festival--Northern California’s Premier Festival of Music, Arts, Ecology, Healthful Living

(PRWEB) May 22, 2005

The 27th Annual Harmony Festival returns with a new name, new look and a world-class musical lineup to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds the weekend of June 11-12, 2005. Featuring the newly expanded “Harmony After Dark” hours (the music goes on until 2:00am on Saturday night) the Harmony Festival showcases an outstanding musical lineup of over 40 bands on 10 stages including Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame members George Clinton, The Family Stone, plus Grammy Award Winner Kitaro and rock legend Jon Anderson (lead singer of Yes).

The Harmony Festival is recognized as the West Coast's premier community celebration—promoting Music, Arts, Ecology and Healthful Living. Voted the "Best Music Festival in Sonoma County" for the first time this year, and the “Best Festival in Sonoma County” for the past 12 years, the Harmony Festival is many events in one; a world-class music festival, a vibrant health expo, a sustainable business and technology forum—a dynamic marketplace for the exchange of ideas, services and products that promote art and creativity supported by a natural and healthy lifestyle. Produced largely by community brainstorming and group energy, utilizing more than 500 volunteers and calling on the talents of hundreds of musicians, artists and performers, the event is supported by progressive business leaders including: Toyota, Whole Foods, Organic Valley, New Belgium Brewery and over 400 independent vendors and exhibitors.

This year’s theme “Global transformation, local activation” encapsulates the mission and vision of the event’s creators—working together in harmony, we can positively transform the world—the future is now, come and join the celebration!

For the first time ever we will be presenting “Harmony After Dark” extended Saturday night programming that will keep the festival going full swing until 2:00am. This evening music festival hosts world-class musicians and performances in three unique venues:

• Japanese world music pioneer Kitaro and singer / songwriter Jon Anderson of YES will perform a rare concert together, in the “Hall of Moons” an intimate 500-seat theater.
• The Eco Village Eco-Theater will host a program entitled “Voices of The World” with a diverse collection of artists performing in an acoustic-based format. Featured performers include Nigerian afro-beat legend Majek Fashek; Bay Area blues sensation David Jacobs Strain, Joe Craven from the David Grissman Quintet; Austin, Texas based rocker Patrice Pike and Sonoma’s own Markus James and Wassonrai (Mali), PLUS
• The amazing Techno-Tribal Community Dance Party returns to the Grace Pavilion on the festival grounds with a music and performing arts extravaganza featuring live performers, International DJ’s, circus acts and headlined by The Mutaytor the Los Angeles based music and performing collective of Burning Man fame.

This year’s festival also features a new layout of each of the five major field attractions: Eco-Village, Healing Sanctuary, Goddess Temple, Global Bazaar, and Crafters Village. The vending rows have been transformed into unique village themed attractions featuring distinct entranceways and natural curves and turns. The Global Bazaar has now become a circular Moroccan-style market, with a “Bizarre Bazaar” sideshow stage in the center. The Eco-Village has become a flourishing permaculture playground with flowing water, planted area capped by a magnificent canopy covered Eco-Theater. In an indoor expo hall, the Foods of the Earth Expo features over 30 organic and natural food vendors in a farmers’ market setting; in addition to exhibits showcasing the latest advancements in natural health, green business and self-improvement products and services.

The Harmony Festival is dedicated to being one of most “youth friendly” festivals around. Our enhanced Kids Zone features engaging activities for kids of all ages, with a live performance stage, interactive art and music activities, fun and games. Kids 12 and under are free, and teens are just ten dollars, providing economical entertainment for the whole family.

We invite everyone to experience the best festival in the North Bay. In addition to the affordable $20 per day advance ticket price and $25 “Harmony After Dark” pass, for a limited time the Harmony Festival is offering a special online discount ticket that gets attendees into both days of the Harmony Festival plus Harmony After Dark for only $55. With a full day and night of stellar world class music on ten stages, along with dozens of free workshops and lectures with nationally known, leading-edge speakers––it is overall the best value of any event of its kind on the west coast.

# # #