Birthday Party attendees dance to Music by Paul Hage and David Hage, led by New York Folklore Board Member Nada Odeh .
This past weekend (Saturday, September 21,2024) , New York Folklore celebrated its 80th birthday!
The celebration, held at the Jay Square in Schenectady, NY, was a fitting backdrop. Jay Street has been home to The New York Folklore Shop and Gallery since 1999. The day was filled with vibrant music, energetic dancing, and stunning works of craftsmanship and service. We were joined by friends old and new, including City Council Member Doreen Ditoro, a representative of Senator Tedisco’s Office, Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, and Representative Paul Tonko!
The stamp bottom right, created to celebrate 80 years of New York Folklore!
Our Artists’ Marketplace, sponsored by the United Way of the Greater Capital District, featured a diverse range of handmade goods, from intricate jewelry and stunning textiles to unique services such as henna and hairbraiding. (A full list of the vendor’s can be seen below.) We were especially excited to see a new carved seal by Xiaoping Xu, which celebrated 80 Years!
Musicians and dancers filled the air with an array of sound and shapes reflecting the rich cultural heritage of New York State! The party included artists and performers from a around New York York, highlighting New York Folklore’s place as the service and support organization for Folk and Traditional Arts!
As we celebrate the past 80 Years, we are also turn towards the future. Please keep up with our plans for upcoming projects, aimed at expanding our reach and increasing our impact on the Folk and Traditional Arts in New York via programs and exhibits, professional development, arts in education, and more
We would like to extend a thank you to all the artists, volunteers, partners, and neighbors who made our 80th Birthday Party a success!
Students from the Schenectady Connects Program helped staff our Birthday Party.
Full List of Performers and Marketplace Artists:
Veena Chandra and Devesh Chandra (North Indian Classical Music)
Pinya and Ehsue Aung (Karen Music and Dance)
Luz Ruiz (Mexican Folk Dance)
New York Capital District Romanian American Heritage Association (Romanian Folk Dance)
Paul Hage and David Hage (Arabic Music)
Desi Trio (Punjabi/Desi Music)
Alex Torres and His Latin Orchestra
Latifa Ali Mohammad (Embroidery)
Ismail Arbab (Jewelry)
Altin Stoja (Iconography)
Xiaoping Xu and Anping Liu (Chinese Tradtional Arts)
D’Vonne Faulks (Hair and Skin Care Products and Hairbraiding)
Raneela Khan (Henna)
Monica Ramos (Beadwork)
Lenin Marcelo Pazmino Aroca (Leather and Metalwork)
Yahaira Munoz (Craft)
Danny and Sharon Khan (Postcard Boxes)
The Birthday Bash, and New York Folklore’s operations, are sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the United Way of the Greater Capital Region, the Schenectady Foundation, Schenectady County, The Arts Center of the Capital Region, The Theater Coalition for a Fair Game, The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the NYS Canal Corporation, and Albany’s Wine and Dine for the Arts Festival.