Minutes from the May 12th and June 9th meetings of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Zimfest News Blog
Request for Volunteers
Hey Zimsters,
With less than a month before we all converge on the shady, accommodating campus of WOU, it’s time to think about packing yer dancing shoes, sharing rides, maybe adding another workshop, and VOLUNTEERING! There are plenty of opportunities to share your special gift of time (and a little muscle!). So please go to the Volunteer Sign-up https://zimfest.org/volunteer/signup/ and find some shifts to plug into. With your help, this is how Zimfest rolls!
–Heron Stombock, Volunteer Coordinator, Zimfest 2019
Posted In: Festival Details
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Interview with Zimfest Teacher Gilbert Zvamaida
Hello Zimfesters,
A quick news flash to alert you to a new Zimfest initiative!
We asked a Zimfest volunteer (Anesu Ndoro) to interview one of our new teachers, Gilbert Zvamaida, to learn more about his musical background and what he has to offer at Zimfest 2019. Mr. Zvamaida plays a mean guitar and is an expert in different Zimbabwean guitar styles. Listen to what he has to say on this interview excerpt.
Learn more about Gilbert Zvamaida and the workshops he will be teaching on the Workshop Teachers page. Better yet, sign up to learn to play mbira-guitar style or hear him talk about and demonstrate guitar styles in Zimbabwe!
While you’re on Youtube, search for and subscribe to our new Zimfest USA channel to hear the entire English-language interview with Gilbert Zvamaida and Anesu Ndoro and be alerted to upcoming Zimfest clips.
See you at the festival,
Claire and the OC (with Techie help!)
Posted In: Festival News
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Zimfest Housing and Dining Registration Closes July 20
Dear Zimfest community,
Zimfest 2019 is fast approaching! Updates for you this holiday weekend:
- July 20 is the last day to register for housing, meals and Zimfest booths. That is two short weeks away! Click on New Registration to sign up for dorm rooms as there are not likely to be any available onsite!
- Go to Vendor Information to sign up for a Marketplace Booth. A late fee will be applied for any applications submitted after July 20.
- Sinini and Pamela Ngwenya have had to cancel their participation in Zimfest 2019 because of paperwork and visa appointment delays in their Germany home base. We are disappointed but hope to host them at the next festival. Read about all workshop changes and cancellations on the Workshop Changes page. Students registered for cancelled workshops have been notified of workshop credits. No notification has been sent in the cases in which a substitute will be teaching a workshop originally listed under Sinini Ngwenya.
- Got your workshop schedule figured out? Don’t forget to sign up for Volunteer shifts to keep the festival running smoothly!
Stay cool,
Claire and the Zimfest 2019 OC
Music Dancing Across Borders
Posted In: Festival News
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Zimfest Workshop Changes
Greetings Zimfest-ers,
Zimfest 2019 registration is going very slowly and we are anticipating reduced attendance this year. There are likely a number of reasons for this, but what it means for those who are coming is less competition for desirable workshops, and a more relaxed atmosphere. Register soon – your registrations tell us what you want!
- We have made some adjustments to the workshop schedule to optimize enrollments. See Festival Updates & Workshop Changes for a list of changes. You may find openings in a workshop you thought was full!
- A heads-up to those enrolled in marimba workshops: we received a number of comments in last year’s evaluations that some of the marimbas were too loud, making it difficult to hear when trying to learn parts. For this year, all tenor and soprano marimbas in workshop rooms will have no resonators. Our marimba loaners and transporters have been very happy to hear this! Let us know in the workshop evaluations if this should be repeated in future years.
Happy solstice,
Zimfest 2019 OC
Posted In: Festival News
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Zimfest Board and Committee Updates
Howdy Zimfest Community,
The 2019 Organizing Committee would like you to know:
- We are actively working on this year’s Festival Guide. If you or your organization would like ad space in the printed guide (discounts for non-profits!), please contact chatbetty{at}gmail{dot}com. You may also contact Betty if you or your community has lost a loved one who you would like mentioned in the In Memoriam page.
- We are seeking Vendor Applications for the Marketplace—a fun place to hang out during the festival! Be sure to get your applications in by July 20 to avoid being charged a late fee.
From the ZA Tech Committee:
- You can now look up current workshop enrollments on both the Workshop List and Workshop Table pages on the website, where “Remaining” indicates the number of spots open in each workshop. Both displays also feature an additional filter called “Open/Full” with which you can view either Full or Open classes (those with slots remaining).
- Make your Zimfest travel plans now! The Getting to Zimfest page has been updated and the Ride Board is ready for posts from those seeking and those offering rides.
And at long last, an announcement from the Zimfest Association Board:
- The ZA Board has tentatively reserved the dates of July 30 to August 2, 2020 for Zimfest at The Evergreen State College in Olympia WA. We will make an official decision on whether to hold a 2020 festival after this year’s festival, based on commitment from the community and the success of Zimfest 2019.
Posted by Claire with help from many hard working volunteers!
Claire Jones, Festival Coordinator
Posted In: Festival News
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April Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the April 14th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
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Zimfest News
Greetings all,
The Zimfest 2019 Organizing and Tech committees have some festival updates for you:
- The Festival Concert Schedule has been posted online. See biographies and photographs of performers here (check back later for information not yet available on a couple of groups).
- Our host Western Oregon University has informed us that there will be mini-fridges and microwave ovens in all Ackerman dorm rooms! To ensure that this privilege is extended beyond 2019, be sure to dispose of all food and other waste properly, and please clean out fridges when you leave.
- There are a number of fascinating and informative cultural presentations on offer this year, and our webmaster Larry has created this Presentations page with all the relevant information. The cultural presentations cost only $10 per hour – a great deal!
- Don’t forget to sign up for volunteer shifts to help the festival run smoothly. Write to our volunteer coordinators at volunteers{at}zimfest{dot}org if you can take on any special assignments (e.g. host the Green Room on Sunday, or help wrangle marimbas on Thursday).
Your Zimfest Organizers
Music Dancing Across Borders
Posted In: Festival News
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What’s New at Zimfest 2019
Zimfest organizers and participants have been quiet since registration went live on May 1. Take a look at What’s New this year and kick up the interest level! Make your plans and register now for some of the new offerings for Zimfest 2019:
- Come learn about a different type of Zimbabwean culture: Alternative Agri-cultures in Zimbabwe. This special workshop presentation/exhibit/discussion led by musician and scholar Pamela Ngwenya is produced by Zimfest 2019 as a multi-session workshop on Saturday afternoon August 10 at discounted presentation costs (by donation); we need your registrations for either or both sessions to make it happen! Those who are motivated to give back to Zimbabwe will want to attend to learn about projects being carried out in areas impacted by Cyclone Idai and how to support them.
- Gumboot Flash Mob – Festival Highlights Finale on Sunday, Aug 11, 4:40 – 5:00 p.m. at The Grove. Student groups from two gumboot workshops will show off what they have learned, and Lucky Moyo and Sinini Ngwenya will invite everyone at the Grove to join in with some awesome body percussion! Let’s get everyone dancing – gum boots not required! For more information, see Festival Events.
- Some people have been confused between the skill level terms “beginner” and “novice” (introduced last year). We encourage you to look at it this way: Beginners are still the lowest skill level, ranging from those just starting out to one year of experience. We promise we’ll never change that! Novice, the next skill level beyond beginning, is the new term that replaced the old “advanced-beginner” level (which was confusing to people new to this community).
Enjoy the long weekend and remember our veterans!
Claire and the 2019 Organizing Committee
Posted In: Festival News
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Zimfest 2019 Fundraising Challenge
Zimfest 2019 fundraising has been off to a slow start, but we have a fantastic group of Zimbabweans coming to teach and perform that we need your help to support while at Zimfest. Here’s the challenge, if we hit 20 new donations by the end of May we would unlock a $500 gift. You can enter a one-time gift or choose the monthly recurring option at https://zimfest.org/about/support-zimfest/. Don’t forget about renewing your Zimfest membership if you haven’t done that yet for the year. The Zimfest Board thanks you for all your support.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
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March Board Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the March 10th meeting of the Zimfest Association board of directors have been posted.
Posted In: Zimfest Association News
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Zimfest Registration is Open
Dear Zimfest community,
Online registration for Zimfest 2019 is now open! Visit the How to Register page on the website for instructions (please read!) and the direct link to our online system RegFox. A few new tips and reminders:
- Marketplace booth applications are also open for all new and returning vendors. Please go to the Vendor Information page for guidelines and a link to the Vendor applications. This application is not connected to the online registration form, and vendor applicants will have to make a separate payment for booths using PayPal (sorry!).
- An eleventh-hour development strengthens our efforts to make Zimfest more affordable for families – meals are now discounted for children 11 and under! See Festival Costs for prices. When you enter the age range of the person for whom you are registering in RegFox, the correct meal prices will be displayed and computed for you.
- All Zimfest registrants must confirm that they have read and agree to the Zimfest Code of Conduct. If you are not aware of this initiative by the ZA Board to ensure that the festival remains a safe and non-threatening environment for all, please read about it here.
- Zimfest Association members are exempt from the $15 Registration fee. Become a member and support Zimfest before you register.
- Those purchasing concert tickets only are also exempt from the registration fee, and can skip down to the concert ticket section in RegFox.
Enjoy the spring weather!
Claire and the OC
Music Dancing Across Borders
Posted In: Festival News
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