Calabasas Cultural Festival will offer flamenco, much more

Those with a flare for flamenco dance and guitar are in store for a major treat during the Calabasas Cultural Festival to be presented free to the community from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat., Oct. 4 on the grounds of Leonis Adobe Museum, 23537 Calabasas Road, in Old Town Calabasas.

Among the day’s entertainment that will thrill flamenco fans (and others as well) are performances by award-winning dancer Corina del Sol with the "Fire & Passion of Flamenco Dance Trio" at 11:30 a.m. She is noted for her soulful interpretation of authentic original Flamenco dances, and will discuss the history of this dance style as well as provide dance lessons to festival goers at 12:30 p.m.

Flamenco dancer Marisol Cabrera will perform during the classical guitar and flamenco guitar showcase at 2 p.m. A classical guitarist performance is also scheduled for noon. Among the master guitarists slated to perform are Dan Zeff and Guillermo Rios.

Additional musical entertainment will be provided from 10 to 11:30 a.m. by singer/songwriter Karen Tobin, a classically-trained mezzo soprano who will perform a variety of songs including country, folk and pop. From 1 to 3:30 p.m. Bandidos de Amor—a Gypsy Kings-type group—will entertain with their lively, energetic music they like to call "California Rumba."

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. there will be arts and crafts activities for children presented by Mission Renaissance Art School, Clay Studios and Gallery of Thousand Oaks and Highland Hall School. Festival visitors will want to be sure to bring their cameras as cowboys and vaqueros from the stunt actors of the Caravan West Buckaroos will provide plenty of Old West atmosphere on the streets of Old Town. Calabasas historian Frank Farmer will lead a tour of Old Town at 11 a.m.

Don’t be shy about wearing your best cowboy gear to this event, as prizes will be awarded for the "Last of the Old West" best western outfit. For general information, please call the Calabasas Arts Council at (818) 878-4242, ext. 270.