In general, local residents seemed to agree. Nearly 10,000 people attended the almost weekís worth of events, which included a tour of Bountifulís Frank Lloyd Wright House. Summerfestís opening ceremonies broke 20 years worth of records for the event, with more than 1,300 people in attendance (450 more than attended last yearís opening).
Those people flocked to dance performances by folk dance groups from countries all around the world, including South Korea, Costa Rica, Greece, Israel and others. Russia offered performances from two very different groups; the more traditionally known Russian Cossack dancers and a group of musical performers that came from Russian Siberia.
A group of Azerbaijani dancers, not officially on the schedule, performed early Friday, and all of the groups continued the Summerfest tradition by taking the stage together for the World Music Jam on Saturday night.
Also available at Summerfest were a wide range of international food, craft and artisan booths. Included in the latter group were booths that featured the work of Walt Hunter and Jesus Silva, this yearís Summerfest featured artists, and Benjamin Davis, this yearís Summerfest emerging artist.
ìWe want to thank the community and everyone involved for making this such a successful event,î said Dugal. ìSo many people just gave it their all.î
Though the IOV congress (which takes its acronym from the German translation of International Organization of Folk Art) was hit hardest by the visa difficulties, Bountifulís city hall was still buzzing with international activity.
Focusing on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage ó skill sets such as weaving, dancing or carving that can get lost without active practitioners ó congress delegates spent much of the four days listening to presentations about a wide variety of art forms that may be in danger of dying out.
ìThe congress went very well,î said Hanz Holst, secretary general of the IOV. ìEverything was very well organized and prepared, and there were so many interesting guests from so many different countries.î
Some of the specific presentations given at the congress were dances from the seven regions of Senegal, Chinese folk narrative, and the folk costumes of Latvia.
Many of the presenters spoke through interpreters, a situation that sometimes caused a question asked in an incompatible language to be passed through three or four different translators and representatives before it could be understood by the speaker.
Still, everyone there considered the opportunity to learn to be the most important thing, and were reluctant to have the event draw to a close.
ìFor those of us who are interested in folk art, it didnít matter that we sat for three or four days,î said Holst. ìThe time was too short.î
jwardell@davisclipper.com
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