Percussion entertainment abounds at ‘People of the Drum’ Festival

INCLUDES VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF ALL FOUR ACTS | Look at how the performances of just one group has blossomed into a full afternoon of drumming in outer East Portland …

In the Hazelwood neighborhood, the People of the Drum celebration attracts many listeners – and dancers – to this event held in Gateway Discovery Park.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Returning this summer to Gateway Discovery Park in the Hazelwood neighborhood on July 20 was the People of the Drum Festival.

It started a few years back with a performance by Portland Taiko. Then, last year, that group invited other drum-and-dance groups to join them, for an afternoon of drumming and rhythmical movement.

This People of the Drum festival started off with a performance, and a workshop, by this group from Oregon Korean Performing Arts.

“Actually, we started this event in 2012,” noted Portland Taiko Executive Administrator, Kelsey Furuta.

See – and more importantly, hear – in 3-D stereo – groups performing in this year’s People of the Drum Festival, right here:

“It’s a free community event that we now put on annually in a partnership between Portland Taiko and Portland Parks & Recreation.

“This year, we’ve invited three other drumming groups to share the stage with us!” she continued.

The Mexica Tiahui Aztec drumming and dance group soon get audience members up and dancing along.

“This is a wonderful place to enjoy a warm summer afternoon of drumming and dance from different cultural traditions,” Furuta told East Portland News.

“In addition to performances, our free, family-friendly festival includes ‘workshops’ from our featured groups today,” the organizer added.

Alex Addy & Woshishijye perform at the festival.

This year, the organizers moved up the start time to 11:00 a.m., getting the festival going well before the late afternoon’s summer heat.

Still, the sun beating down on the park, and raising temperature past 90°, didn’t slow the drummers – nor did it reduce the enthusiasm of the audience, as the performances continued.

Several of the audience members had thought ahead, and brought with them beach umbrellas and other temporary shade structures.

This year’s festival concluded with a performance by Portland Taiko.

If you missed it this year, organizers promise that the People of the Drum Festival will be back next summer.

All of the groups assemble for a “curtain call” – and bask in the applause of an appreciative audience.

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