Media release for non-profit organization                                                          For press related inquiries only

For immediate release - run through May 21, 2006                                        Contact Ralph Davies

                                                                                                                                 rdavies@sbcglobal.net

23rd annual

HIMALAYAN FAIR

SATURDAY,  MAY 20,  10 AM—7 PM
SUNDAY, MAY 21,  10 AM—5:30 PM 

Live Oak Park
1300 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA
Shattuck and Berryman, North Berkeley
wheelchair assistance & facilities

$8 entry, $15 couple, $20 trio, children 12 and under free entry
This event benefits humanitarian grassroots projects in the Himalayas.
Supporters include The City of Berkeley
East Bay Express, KPFA Radio 94.1 FM, The Monthly
and North Shattuck Association

 Authentic Himalayan arts, antiques and modern crafts, live music and dance performances and exotic foods highlight this 23nd annual outdoor celebration of the great mountain cultures of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Mongolia. The only such event in the world, the Himalayan Fair offers a wide range of accomplished stage performers (for children and adults) coordinated by Katherine Kunhiramen of the Kalanjali Dance Company, featuring a range of international groups showcasing the traditional music, dance and costumes of their cultures.

 This is a unique experience in harmonious diversity. One ambles among tents and booths scattered under the towering oak and redwood trees of the park. There is the spicy aroma of food baking over charcoal, the sounds of bells and singing, Tibetan long-horns and laughter. It is one of the few places where Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Christians  and secular folks can and do gather in peace and pleasure share and learn about their cultures.

This weekend event also offers access to pertinent non-profit organizations providing travel information, health reports, mountaineering assistance, and current news concerning the Himalayas. This event is a benefit for Nepalese, Tibetan, Indian, Mongolian, and Afghani carefully researched grassroots projects that give children's education scholarships, medical equipment, water and nutrition resources and other aid. In the past few years the Fair has generated and donated  over $180,000 to these projects.

www.himalayanfair.org tel: 510:869.3995

j-peg photos sent on request: rdavies@sbcglobal.net or

         drblmercer@comcast.net