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project leader
Jennifer L
location
Bay Street and Victory Boulevard
Staten Island (St George)
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the project

The Community Association of Tompkinsville Park Promoting Fun and Whimsy (CATPAW) will host a festival celebrating the themes of community, resource sharing, peaceful conflict resolution, and an appreciation of our natural resources.  The event in St George, a neighborhood on Staten Island’s North Shore, commemorates International St George Day as well as Earth Day.

Through storytelling and spectacle, we reach our audience in ways that are deep, powerful and memorable.  The highlight of the day is a giant puppet show with larger-than-life size handmade puppets (including a 32 foot dragon!) re-telling the story of St George and the dragon from one in which George slays the dragon to one in which they resolve their conflict peacefully.  Parched from breathing fire and looking to drink from the local fountain, the dragon threatens the villagers, but through communication, they learn to coexist and share the water.

Other activities of the day include: a giant dragon parade, earth day activities, live music and dance performances, all day readings, art exhibits and demonstrations and more.  The festival fosters communal pride and encourages us to take a more caring and responsible approach to the environment.

the steps

The Festival is created by an all volunteer, grassroots, organizing committee of local artists, activists and community organizers.  We invite local schools to explore with students themes of community, sharing and problem solving through participating in contests, creating artwork, and making flower fairy and dragon costumes to march in our parade.  We collaborate with many community organizations such Xiaolin Martial Arts and Pink Diamond Steppers who will dance, SHiNG (Shoot Hoops Not Guns) and Hispanic community members who will read original works and a variety of local environmentally focused groups will host activities.  It is our goal that the organizers and the performers reflect and appeal to the diversity of the neighborhood.

why we're doing it

St George is a vibrant, low income, racially diverse neighborhood on Staten Island’s North Shore surrounding the ferry terminal. The festival takes place in an underutilized but recently renovated green space, centrally located in St. George.   The goals of the festival are to bring people together to share ideas; to promote civic pride by celebrating the area’s artistic, cultural and natural resources; and to encourage positive programming in the park by example. 

budget

To be spent on: Art Supplies for dragons and costumes (from Michael's, Joanne Fabrics and/or Dembner's Hardware) $100, port-a-potties (from Frank Liquori) $50, printing of promotional materials (from McKee Technical High School's training program) $50, misc $170 project total = $370 Third Party Credit Card Payment Processing (3%) = $11 ioby Fiscal Sponsorship (5%) = $19 Grand Total: $400

updates

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photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Wilder S.
  • Lisa D.
  • Harouna B.
  • Linda R.
  • Alyson B.
  • Danusch M.
  • Sara H.
  • Kelly K.
  • Danielle K.
  • Leslie C.
  • Michael R.