Youth Activity Fair, live entertainment, workshops with renowned percussion ensembles will take over ESCS on Dec. 5 for residents of all ages, FREE

Join the All-America City of Somerville, MA for an afternoon of live music, games and crafts for young residents, interactive workshops, networking and more at the City’s All-America City Grooversity Festival on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m., at the East Somerville Community School.

The fourth annual Grooversity Festival will feature renowned drumming and percussion masters, a community drum circle, and performances by Somerville Public Schools’ World Percussion Ensembles from 1 to 5 p.m. A two-hour Youth Activity Fair to begin the afternoon will feature exhibitions, games and activities for children by some of the City’s top-serving youth agencies, including community garden tours, trivia and scavenger hunt games, giveaways, raffles, and more. The festival will also celebrate the City’s third All-America City Award, focusing on youth engagement and youth leadership.

Events and activities include:

• School garden tour and activities with Groundwork Somerville;
• Early childhood and literacy activities with The Beautiful Stuff Project, CAAS, and others;
• Teen Empowerment: Find Your Voice workshop for teens;
• Creative writing workshop with Books of Hope;
• Live performances by Somerville Public Schools World Percussion Ensembles;
• Arts & Crafts, food, and more!

Featured percussion ensembles and workshops include:

• Casey Scheuerell (Chaka Khan) and Marcus Santos (Gypsy Kings), American and Brazilian Jazz workshop;
• Fife drumming performance and workshop with Dominick Cuccia;
• Beat Bus workshop with Maria Finkelmeyer;
• Community drum circle;

• Bloco AfroBrazil;
• SheBoom;
• ​Sing and Shake with Maria Wadman;

The drumming festival will be streamed online on December 11, 12, and 13, at www.grooversity.com
Grooversity is a drumming project envisioned by Brazilian born percussionist Marcus Santos. Its mission is to provide community outreach for social good by offering world drumming workshops, courses and entertainment to youth and adults of all ages. Grooversity is making a difference in Somerville, MA, as well as cities and towns in twenty three cities in France, Canada and in the US.

For more information, visit www.somervillema.gov/aac.

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Betsy Allen, at 617-625-6600 x2323 or BAllen@somervillema.gov.

~City of Somerville