Celebrate the talents and creativity of people with disabilities at the Aquarium on the weekend of Jan. 26 - 27, and enjoy live music, dance, art, and demonstrations
WHAT: At the Festival of Human Abilities, visitors can watch performances and learn unique adaptive skills taught by artists and other experts with disabilities. Featured at the festival are hip-hop wheelchair dancers, a sign language choir, a singer who is blind and has autism, a guitarist who is blind, and other inspiring performing artists.
Along with these music and dance performances, the Aquarium will feature art demonstrations and displays, including mouth-stick art by local artists with disabilities. DiveHeart will present adaptive SCUBA demonstrations to show that people of all abilities can enjoy this therapeutic sport.
A variety of free creative workshop classes will be held on site, lasting thirty to forty-five minutes per session. Participants will have the opportunity to learn to sing in sign language, create wheelchair art, paint a hat, and try hip-hop wheelchair dancing. All major programming will have sign language interpreters for guests who are deaf, and the Aquarium will provide visitor guides in braille and audio tours for guests who are blind.
HONOREE: The Aquarium will present the Glenn McIntyre Heritage Award to Dat Nguyen on Saturday, January 26, at 3:10 p.m. Nguyen is the co-founder of a nonprofit organization focused on the Vietnamese community and dedicated to raising awareness of the capabilities of people with disabilities. A musician who is blind, Nguyen is a founding participant in and helped create the Festival of Human Abilities.
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, January 26-27, 2018, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802
COST: $29.95 adult (12+), $26.95 senior (62+), $17.95 child (3-11), and free to kids age three and under and members
INFO: (562) 590-3100 or http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/events/info/festival_of_human_abilities/
AQUARIUM: The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and where important challenges facing our planet are explored by scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders in search of sustainable solutions. The Aquarium is dedicated to conserving and building nature and nature's services by building the interactions between and among peoples. Home to more than 11,000 animals, Aquarium exhibits include the Ocean Science Center, Molina Animal Care Center, and the new Tentacles and Ink and FROGS: Dazzling & Disappearing exhibits. Beyond its animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers educational programs for people of all ages, from hands-on activities to lectures by leading scientists. Field trips for schoolchildren are offered at a heavily discounted rate from $7 to $8.50 per student. The Aquarium has won a 2015 Travelers' Choice Award for Aquariums, as awarded by TripAdvisor® travelers. The Aquarium offers memberships with unlimited FREE admission for 12 months, VIP Entrance, and other special benefits.
