Let’s celebrate our local cultural diversity and build a nation of neighbors! This free family-friendly event is open to everyone and features the puppet show "Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup," puppet-making workshop, Latin American music, classical Indian dancing, kindness rock craft area, professionally-applied henna tattoos, and the participatory UNITY public art project.

The Whitfield House was built in 1639 as the home of Guilford’s first minister as well as a fort for the new settlement of about 350 Puritans fleeing religious persecution in England. While Puritans were religious refugees, they were often not welcoming to those with differing views or those they thought of as inferior.

The museum is committed to being welcoming to everyone. WelcomeFest is one way we can learn about cultures different from our own, celebrate our similarities and differences, and foster mutual understanding and deeper belonging for all.

WelcomeFest includes:

• 12 pm – History and Traditions of Henna presentation by Jamilah Henna Creations

• 1 pm – “Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup” Puppet Show by WonderSpark Puppets | Based on the beloved PJ Library book by Pamela Mayer, the story revolves around two grandmothers, one Jewish and one Chinese, who come up with elaborate ways to show their granddaughter that their cultural heritage (their chicken soup) is the best.

• 1:45 pm – Puppet-Making Workshop with WonderSpark Puppets | Open to all ages and all supplies will be provided

• 2 pm – Latin American Music by Lorena Garay and Eugenio Huanca | Puerto Rican guitarist Lorena Garay and Chilean multi-instrumentalist Eugenio Huanca will perform an irresistible mix of instrumental and vocal music. Lorena's guitar arrangements and passionate playing style beautifully combine her classical guitar technique with her fiery Spanish guitar strumming. Eugenio’s intense way of playing the panpipes, pan flute, charango, Venezuelan cuatro, and many other Latin American instruments is simply mesmerizing. Together, they play haunting melodies, syncopated rhythms, and charming strums from the Andes, South America, and the Spanish Caribbean.

• 3 pm – Classical Indian Dancing by Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan | Bharatanatyam is a beautiful and rigorous South Indian classical dance form with two thousand years of cultural and artistic continuity. Its rhythmic, physical, dramatic, and emotive aspects used to communicate a wide variety of stories, both classical and contemporary, create a moving and uplifting art experience for viewers and performers of all ages, genders, nationalities, religions, castes, races, and cultures.

ALL AFTERNOON:

• UNITY Public Art Project | All ages can add their touch to this interactive art installation in front of the Whitfield House! UNITY is a large circular arrangement of 32 poles, each labeled with an identifier (for example: “I am a parent,” “I have Asian ancestors,” or “I identify as LGBTQ”). Participants take a piece of yarn and wrap it around any poles with which they identify. A canopy of interconnectedness forms as more people add their yarn. In the end, this project celebrates the uniqueness of individuals while at the same time illustrating how we are all connected by something. UNITY will remain on display in front of the Whitfield House throughout Welcoming Week and the Guilford Fair. All supplies will be provided.

• Henna Tattoos: Receive a professionally-applied henna design by Jamilah Henna Creations

• Kindness Rocks: All ages can paint kindness rocks to keep, share with someone who needs some inspiration, or leave somewhere to brighten the finder’s day. All supplies will be provided.

• Guilford’s 5 History Museums: In addition to free tours of the Whitfield House and the “History Beneath Our Feet” archaeology exhibit in the Visitor Center, Guilford’s other history museums – Hyland House Museum, Thomas Griswold House, Medad Stone Tavern Museum, and Dudley Farm Museum – will be on-site to share the work they do to create welcoming communities for the benefit of all residents.

WelcomeFest takes place rain or shine.