PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Southeastern Cherokee Celebration returns as part of the PECO Energy Multicultural series at Penn's Landing. This FREE Festival will take place on the Great Plaza at Penn's Landing, on Columbus Boulevard at Chestnut Street on Saturday July 15, 2006, from Noon - 8:00 p.m.
The Southeastern Cherokee Celebration will feature entertainment and authentic Native American cuisine. Traditional Native American dancing will be an important part of this festival, as dancers exhibit both Fancy dancing and Jingle dancing. Fancy dancing gives dancers the opportunity to demonstrate their individual agility and grace, adorned with brightly colored shawls, beaded moccasins with matching leggings and decorative pieces of jewelry. The legend and traditions of Jingle dancing is also an important part of Native American heritage, as it is a common category in many dance competitions. There will be a Regalia Exhibition where the traditional Native American attire will be on display. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about Native American dance, as they are invited to participate in the Friendship Dance.
In addition to the music of Native American singers, the festival will feature more than twenty Native American traders selling traditional Native American crafts including beadwork, finger weaving, and leatherwork. There will also be Native American jewelry vendors featuring silver and turquoise necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. The crafters and vendors at this festival, also known as traders, travel cross-country attending Pow-Wows and festivals to feature their fine jewelry and crafts.
A highlight of this year's entertainment will be Spirit Wing. A contemporary Native American trio, Spirit Wing combines traditional Native American stories and dance with contemporary themes. Their performances have been described as educational and inspirational featuring hypnotic flutes, guitars and percussion.
This free event, presented by PECO and the Southeastern Cherokee Confederacy of Pennsylvania works to publicize the importance of Native American culture and the contribution of the Cherokee community to the Philadelphia region. The Southeastern Cherokee Confederacy of Pennsylvania also represents the Navajo, Cree, Seminole, and Creek tribal groups. This organization hosts annual festivals like this one, to promote Native American heritage and traditions.
-- Admission is free for all PECO Multicultural Series events. PECO presents a series of free Multicultural festivals throughout the summer season on the Great Plaza at Penn's Landing.
Supporting the region's diversity has been a longstanding goal for PECO, who has sponsored the multicultural festivals at Penn's Landing for the past ten years. "All of us at PECO are thrilled to return again to the waterfront to support the multicultural festivals," said PECO president Denis O'Brien. "Penn's Landing is a Philadelphia summertime tradition and the PECO Multicultural Series is a fun way for us to celebrate the wide range of diversity represented in our service territory."
PECO is proud to be Philadelphia's hometown energy company and one of the region's most prominent civic supporters. PECO is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and celebrating diversity inside and outside the Company.
Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC). PECO serves 1.6 million electric and 470,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2004, the company delivered 37.5 million megawatt-hours (Mwh) of electricity and 87.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas to residential, business and institutional customers. PECO's energy delivery services generated $4.49 billion in revenue for Exelon.
Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations.
Public Programming at Penn's Landing would not be possible without our presenting sponsor, Independence Blue Cross and the continued support of PECO, Commerce Bank, Pennsylvania Lottery and the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, all of whom are committed to serving the Greater Philadelphia community.
Penn's Landing Corporation is the non-profit organization responsible for funding and producing public programming at Penn's Landing. Independence Blue Cross is the presenting sponsor of the 2006 Summer Season at Penn's Landing, featuring free programming every weekend Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. All events produced by Penn's Landing Corporation are FREE to the public and on the Great Plaza, the heart of Penn's Landing, Philadelphia's premier riverfront entertainment destination.
For more information on event locations and event details, please call (215) 922-2FUN or visit www.pennslandingcorp.com. The Penn's Landing Corporation website is a virtual resource for the waterfront where visitors can plan to park, play and stay all day at Penn's Landing.
The Penn's Landing Corporation logo is available at http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=349