German rappers and classic French accordionists set the tone of the fifth annual Language Festival with their original and cultural enriching tunes from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 10.
The festivities are located within the residential community in the heart of Sauvignon Village and the Cooperage. Admission is free, with the exception of the Cabaret, which is $3.
"This is cultural diversity at its best. Get ready to travel the world without leaving the campus. Who knows, you might end up watching a French student wearing a kimono and singing Flamenco in German," says Spanish professor Tania de Miguel Margo.
Students of all ages from the Bay Area will gather at to take part in the festivities, ranging from cabaret performances to language competitions/
A large part of the day is spent exploring spoken languages, middle and high school students compete in various contests, including poetry, diction, public speaking, and literary compositions - all in French, Spanish, and German. Sonoma State students serve as judges, greeters, and language-specific tour guides.
"Students often have the chance to compete athletically, but opportunities for academic competitions are much more rare," said French professor Suzanne Toczyski. "The Language Festival gives students of all levels a place to show off all that they have learned in a real-world context."
The event concludes with Cabaret performances in French, German, and Spanish in the Cooperage. Following the performance, a newly funded international honor society, Phi Beta Delta will grab students' attention to this new opportunity to be recognized for outstanding work in language studies.
In 2006, over 200 people attended the festival and many went home with a wide variety of prizes or their competitive efforts.
For maps and directions to the University visit http://www.sonoma.edu/university/maps.shtml.
For more information, contact Suzanne Toczyski, Associate Professor of French at (707) 664-4177.
