University Street Fair a Big Success Despite Rain.

Early on Saturday morning David and his wife Janet drove in the mist and wind to the University District to set up the Peace Oil booth. It was the culmination of weeks of preparation including the construction of a — hopefully — easily moved, assembled and disassembled booth. Packing it up, loading it on the roof of the 1990 Toyota sedan and getting it to the fair was doable. Assembly in the wind was feasible but almost impossible without two. Then came the real test on Sunday when the rain came down steady and, at times, hard. The floor inside the booth was wet, but all the materials, samples and stock stayed dry. Visitors could come inside and feel right at home with a roof over their head.

Beyond not drowning, David and Janet provided hundreds of samples to visitors from all over the city and the world. South America, Mexico, Asia, Europe and the Middle-East were well represented in part because Seattle's tourist season is gearing up and the University District hosts many foreign students, but mostly because the face of contemporary urban life knows no borders.

At times a crowd would gather at the portal to this humble abode and activity would become furious. Questions to be answered, samples to be given out and sales to be handled. When it rains it pours.

A petition was available for those wanting to let Puget Consumers Cooperative (PCC) know they would appreciate seeing Peace Oil carried by their stores. Over 200 visitors signed. PCC is a local chain of eigth natural food markets in the Seattle metro area. Please contact PCC at productquestions@pccsea.com to ask if they will be carrying Peace Oil soon. Tell them you need to buy it at your neighborhood PCC.

On Saturday 46 bottles were sold and on Sunday only 19 due to the uncooperative weather. While sales were below projection, the enthusiasm of visitors, their support for the concept behind Peace Oil and the community-wide exposure, more than made up for the rain. Who’s afraid of a little Seattle-style, liquid sunshine anyway? Get used to it! There’s more to come.

Seattle Peace Chorus at Town Hall, May 12, 7:30PM

US premiere of Let America Be America Again based on poetry of Langston Hughes with music composed by Seattle Peace Chorus Music Director Frederick West. Featuring Baritone Soloist Jimi Malary.

Northwest premiere of Processional Prayer by Ysaye Barnwell of Sweet Honey in the Rock and Venezuelan Composer Jackeline Rago.

Guest musicians include Correo Aereo providing traditional Venezuelan music and Fucho Aparicio, Venezuelan maraca virtuoso.

The Seattle Peace Chorus will perform this music again at the 2007 Festival Iternacional de Coro in Venezuela.

The performance will open with Processional Prayer, an exciting work by Ysaye Barnwell of Sweet Honey in the Rock and Venezuelan composer Jackeline Rago. Let America Be America Again, Frederick N. West, SPC Music Director, will close the concert. This powerful piece mourns the unfulfilled promise of some of America’s very best ideals. Historically, Native Americans, African Americans, immigrants, and other minorities have been exploited and denied opportunity. Let America Be American Again demands respect and human rights for everyone. Performing this music in both Seattle and Venezuela allows SPC members to be singing ambassadors, fostering good will and emphasizing the common bonds of all North, Central, and South Americans.

This Saturday, May 12, 7:30PM at Town Hall 1119 8th Ave.
Tickets: $15 tickets or $13 student/senior tickets
Call 206-264-5532 or go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/11393
Information about SPC at www.seattlepeacechorus.org

Olive Branch Enterprises at Summer Street Fairs, June - August, 2007

Peace Oil and Salam Shalom Olive Oil will be available at street fairs this summer in the Seattle area:

Fremont Fair, Sat. & Sun., June 16 & 17: Olive Branch Enterprises has tentatively obtained a food sampling booth for this very popular fair with as many as 120,000 visitors.

Other Fairs to Look For:
Jewish Community Festival being organized by the Jewish Federation of Seattle, celebrating all things Jewish in downtown Bellevue on August 19 from 11 AM to 4 PM.
Arab Festival organized by the Arab Center of Washington, and held at the Seattle Center August 4 & 5. Seattle's premier Arab cultural event. Booths with food, information, crafts and imports from Arab nations; films, lectures, art and music; and performances by local groups. Hopefully, Olive Branch Enterprises will be able to supply bottles of Canaan Fair Trade olive oil.

May 2007 News Archive