The Interior Savings Fat Cat Children鈥檚 Festival is launching a special Bang Your Drum project that includes a series of drum workshops every Tuesday evening at the Rotary Centre for the Arts and will culminate in a giant drum circle that will have the community join in a common beat at the annual festival taking place at Waterfront Park June 9 and 10

鈥淭his has been a long-term vision, to have giant community drum circle at the Festival,鈥� said artistic director Dorothee Birker.

鈥淭he beat of drums is so elemental and we as humans all respond to them at our very core. It is quite magical to be an integral part of something that is yet so much bigger than us. With one giant circle we are all connected, and yet we are and open and welcoming to each other鈥檚 differences. Within the circle, you quickly realize you need drums of all types, shapes and sizes to create a full, rich sound and you appreciate the tenor and quality of those sounds co-mingling.鈥�

The Drum Circle will feature over 200 drums and percussion instruments, with facilitators from a variety of cultural backgrounds, including First Nations, Djembe, Middle Eastern, African, Brazillian and Japanese, sharing their rhythms.

In preparation for the Drum Circles at the Festival, the Festival is hosting a series of drum workshops at the Rotary Centre for the Arts each Tuesday in May from 5:30 鈥� 7:30 p.m. where everyone, young and old, are invited to come and learn about different drumming styles, and how to drum for free. Participants will also have the opportunity to help build instruments for the sound sculpture that will be featured at the Festival as part of the Bang Your Drum project.

鈥淧lease come and join us and Bang Your Drum with Fat Cat,鈥� said Birker.

鈥淭his project is a great way to have the community come together to celebrate the creativity, diversity and richness of our valley by joining drums and people of all cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds into a common beat.鈥�

The festival this year celebrates the people and events of the region with its theme 鈥極kanagan Stories鈥� and features two full days of entertainment, learning and creativity, plus a fabulous parade. To find out more about the Festival, or to get involved as a volunteer or to be part of an activity station or the parade, check out

The Interior Savings Fat Cat Children鈥檚 Festival is an interactive Festival that celebrates children, creativity and community. The Festival is produced by the Children鈥檚 Festival Society of 琉璃神社 and takes place June 9 & 10 at Waterfront Park.