Community Day Celebration
Stay tuned for information on the 2026 Community Day celebration
Click here for downloadable PDF.
See below for the 2024 schedule of events.
Entertainment
Ballet Folklorico UIUC
Ballet Folklorico Mitotiani is an organization focusing on the cultural aspect of Mexico. Ballet Folklorico has been a long tradition of dancing depending on the different regions of Mexico. The dances include colorful dresses that stem mainly from Jalisco, Nuevo León, Veracruz, Michoacán, Nayarit, Guerrero, Yucatán, San Luis Potosi, and Puebla. Each region developing a different, yet similar style of dancing. For these dances to be heard, heels for women and boots for men have nails on the tip and the heel. This requires a vast range of dancing techniques that we are prepared to show you. Although these physical logistics are important to know, Ballet Folklorico is a cultural enhancement to this campus, bringing lively color to many events that promote Latinx culture. Our mission is to increase a deeper understanding and connection to Latinx culture on campus and demonstrate the broad variety of regions that Mexico has to offer.
1st Choice Music Services
Enjoy a program of Musical Tales and Marionettes presenting the story of "Ferdinand the Bull, "The Teddy Bear Circus", and the Midwest Premiere of a historic children's radio play "Meet Mr. Twink - a Musical Fairytale" with live music composed by the late Charles Gordon Rex, Sr. to a story by the late Helen Shelton and lyrics by Joyce Junglas of Winter Park, Florida, and puppets.
Performers will be a 1st Choice Music Services String Quartet [ JiMyung Kim, Violin, Eun Namkung, Violin, Violist Andreas Ruiz, Cellist/Producer Barbara Hedlund], Pianist Sarah Schwartz,Narrator Ronald Hedlund, Puppetfolk Productions Puppeteer Anne Newman, with original artwork created for the premiere of "Meet Mr. Twink - a Musical Fairytale" by Josefien Stoppelenburg. A Q & A Session will also be available to the audience.
This program is supported by the Urbana Arts and Culture Commission and a State of Illinois Back to Business Grant.
2024 Activity Room Partners
Along with our entertainment performers, the festival welcomed a number of local community organizations and centers to offer a selection of fun, literacy-based activity tables for children and their families. Among the 2024 activity table partners was United Way of Champaign County, bringing a pop-up of their Dolly Parton Imagination Library; the Urbana Free Library; The Illinois Board on Books for Young People; Fun Faces and Balloons doing face painting, and more!
If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in the Youth Literature Festival, please contact Mackenzie Gillespie at dankle@illinois.edu or call (217) 300-1774. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your accessibility needs.