Cinco de Mayo at Artomatic May 5, 2007

Artomatic, the D.C. area’s ongoing arts extravaganza, will take on a Latin flair on Saturday, May 5, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo at Artomatic will feature music, piñata-making, films, poetry, workshops and more. The day’s events will kick off at noon and run through 1 a.m.

Among the Cinco de Mayo activities with a Latin theme will be a piñata-making workshop at 3 p.m. Artist Teresa Diaz, a native of Mexico City, will provide a hands-on demonstration on making a traditional paper mache piñata. The workshop is open to all ages, but children must be accompanied by adults. At 5 p.m., members of Paraesolapalabra, an organization that organizes bimonthly gatherings of poetry, prose, music, visual and culinary arts, will lead a discussion on their activities.

SombreroLogoSome of the day's musical acts will also have a Latin flavor, including performances by 13DeMaio, which offers interpretations of popular music of Latin America from the past 50 years; RAYMI, a D.C.-based band that “brings the haunting sounds and mystic power from Los Andes to the rest of the Americas;” and Antares, which promises to present a “passport to the world of Latin music.”

Other Cinco de Mayo events at Artomatic will include an all-ages tile-making workshop; “Watch the Pallino,” a film on an Illinois bocce tournament; a slide show documenting the hip-hop and New York City club scene during the 1980s; and a drum circle workshop. All of Artomatic’s Cinco de Mayo events are free, but donations are accepted.

Also on May 5, Crystal City will play host to a free outdoor concert by the Gin Blossoms as part of the Crystal Rocks concert series. The Crystal Drive concert will kick off at 7 p.m. with opening performances by Laura Lea and Tripp Fabulous. Crystal Rocks is sponsored by the Crystal City Business Improvement District. For more on Crystal Rocks, e-mail [email protected].

For the full schedule of Artomatic events on May 5, visit http://www.artomatic.org/events/2007/05/5. To view the entire Artomatic event calendar, which details performances and events through May 20, visit http://www.artomatic.org/event. For directions and hours, call the Artomatic infoline at (202) 544-1005.

Held regularly since 1999, Artomatic features 90,000 square feet of paintings, sculptures, photography and other creative work. The event, which runs through May 20, is being held on the 6th and 8th floor
of an office building at 2121 Crystal Drive, in Crystal City, Arlington, Va. The location is within walking distance to the Crystal City Metro station.

Free garage parking is available evenings and weekends across the street from Artomatic (next to the Chevy Chase awnings), but visitors are strongly encouraged to take Metro.

Artomatic
Thru May 20, 2007
2121 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va.
www.artomatic.org
Metro stop: Crystal City
Free admission, donations accepted

Official Website: http://www.artomatic.org