Greater Chicago Jewish Folk Arts Festival

<body topmargin="10" leftmargin="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <div align="center"><center><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tr> <td width="100%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" color="#404040"><strong>This site uses frames, but your browser doesn't support them. To view our site, we recommend clicking on the icon below and downloading the most current version of Internet Explorer.</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"><p align="center"><a href="www.microsoft.com/ie/download/"><img src="images/banners/ie_get.gif" alt="Update your browser now!" border="0" vspace="15" WIDTH="88" HEIGHT="31"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"><p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2"><a href="Default.htm"><strong>Festival Main Page</strong></a></font></p> <p><font color="#404040" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2"><em><strong>Every two years ...</strong></em> an eclectic group of volunteers gathers to create the vision and consider the logistics which unfold for you on one special summer day. The Jewish POCET is a production group made up of individuals representing a network and cross section of the entire Jewish community. We are linked by a single purpose: to produce an event which celebrates Jewish life and culture. We are committed to this project because of our resolve that Jewish identity must be based, in part, on a tangible positive feeling about Jewish life, especially for children.</font></p> <p><font color="#404040" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Since 1980, the Greater Chicago Jewish Folk Arts Festival has created just that experience for tens of thousands. Today, it is the largest Jewish cultural event in Chicago and the largest ongoing Jewish festival in America. We call it the <em>Heart and Soul of Jewish Chicago</em> because on this one special day, you can find everything that is Jewish in Chicago. We create our own "town square" filled with the sights, sounds and smells of a dynamic and creative community.</font></p> <p><font color="#404040" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">The Jewish POCET is very proud that people come from all over the United States, as well as from Canada and Israel, to see the Festival, sell at the Festival and perform at the Festival. We are also gratified that every aspect of our community is represented in some way.</font></p> <p align="right"><strong><font color="#404040" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">- Michael Lorge, Founder</font></strong></p> <p><font color="#404040" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">At each Festival, seven hours of continuous entertainment are provided on four stages: Two main stages for musical </font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">entertainment</font><font color="#404040" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">, a children's stage and a stage for dance groups and storytellers. In addition, the Art Fair and Craft Fair display works of more than 80 </font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">artists and artisans</font><font color="#404040" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">. A variety of delicious, and strictly Kosher, food is provided by dozens of vendors. The Festival also includes a Book Fair and a Hands-On Children's Activity Area, which is staffed by various organizations and museums serving children and in the past has included a petting zoo, clowns and various Judaic projects to bring home. Finally, at the Organization Fair visitors can get information on more than 100 organizations that have booths at the Festival.</font></p> <b><p><font color="#404040" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="1">[The Jewish P.O.C.E.T. (Production Organization for Cultural Events and Theater) is a not-for-profit organization committed to developing and producing quality Jewish art, music and theater events in the Chicago area.]</font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"></td> </tr> </table> </center></div><p> </p> <p> </p> </body>