BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — The metro Detroit Armenia Fest Committee in collaboration with the Detroit Knights of Vartan is proud to announce that they will be hosting the Annual Armenia Fest on Saturday, July 22, from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Royal Oak Farmers Market located at 316 E. 11 Mile Road in Royal Oak.
A year in the planning, the festival will begin with the American and Armenian anthems followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony and introduction of special guests at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free and guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and be prepared to travel to Armenia for an evening.
The first ethnic festival ever held in the City of Royal Oak will again feature a rich collage of Armenian culture. The Royal Oak Farmers Market will be transformed into a Middle Eastern bazaar with booths exhibiting Armenian crafts, artwork, souvenirs, music, cookbooks, and jewelry. Silent auction items donated by generous supporters will be on view with winning bidders being announced the evening of the Fest.
Authentic Armenian food including tasty kebabs, stuffed grape leaves, pastries, and breads will be available for purchase. Live traditional and contemporary Armenian music will be performed during the evening by the Armenia Fest All-Stars under the direction of Vaughn Masropian featuring special musical guest Michael Kamalian on the clarinet.
A highlight of the evening will be a special performance by the Hamazkayin Arax Dance Troupe composed of local Armenian youth trained in the art of Armenian folk dance. The enthusiastic Troupe’s stunning costumes and artistically choreographed dance routines have been a crowd favorite since the inception of the Festival.
