Kid’s Cultural Concert Series Comes to Hannah Center in March and April
Looking for a live, fun, family event this spring? The East Lansing Children’s Cultural Concert Series is just the ticket with performances on Mar. 5 and 19 and April 9 – all beginning at 11 a.m. at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center at 819 Abbot Road.
Since 1985, East Lansing has held an annual concert series for children and families. In 2021, the series shifted focus to emphasize the diversity of our community and elevate artists and genres from around the world.
Last year’s series focused on Black history with musical acts that included steel pan players, an African drummer displaying the breadth of variation in drumming styles and instruments from the continent, and the multifaceted violinist Rodney Page.
The office of Community Events for the City of East Lansing hosts and coordinates the annual event. Community Events seeks out performers of various genres and diverse backgrounds to play in the series.
Who will be performing in this year’s series?
Joe Reilly will take the stage on Mar. 5. His show, “Let’s Be Inclusive,” features original songs celebrating diversity and fostering empathy in young audiences. The main themes will be empathy, tolerance, and diversity’s importance. Reilly is an educator and social worker from Michigan, who loves to write songs about nature and its importance.
On Mar. 19, Gabriel Estrada III will perform. Hailing from Kent City, Michigan, Estrada is an award-winning mariachi singer who has performed across the country. Mariachi for Estrada is the musical genre central to Mexican culture. Estrada has a catalog of songs that include his own and covers of famous Mariachi singers, including the most famous, Vincente Fernández.
Last but not least is Matthew Ball, performing on April 9. Ball is an internationally lauded blues and boogie-woogie artist who will perform his program “Tunes for Tots.” The concert will feature interactive boogie-woogie arrangements of classic children’s songs such as “Happy and You Know It,” “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” and “The Wheels on the Bus.”
Concerts are scheduled to be just under an hour. The performances are for families with children of all ages! The public is welcome to enjoy these renowned artists as they share their craft and celebrate the diversity and cultural difference at the Hannah Community Center on Saturday mornings.
Concerts are free to attend but pre-registration is required. Interested community members can register by calling ELHCC at (517) 333-2580 ext. 0 or register online.
To ensure safety of attendees and performers masks will be required and worn at all times during the performances. Seating will be physically distanced, and attendees are asked to remain seated during the performances.