June 9 event will offer vibrant display of culture and tradition
Thursday, June 6, 2013

On June 9, Loyce Arthur, associate professor of theatre arts in the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will realize her dream of bringing Carnaval to Iowa City.

The Iowa City Carnaval Parade will occur at 9:45 a.m. at the corner of Dubuque Street and Iowa Avenue, in conjunction with the annual Iowa Arts Festival.

Carnaval is a strong, vibrant tradition in several island nations and Latin American countries as well as urban centers around the world, with community members working for a year in advance to translate stories and themes into brightly colored floats and costumes.

In this case, Arthur wants the June 9 parade to represent cultures and traditions of Iowa.

If you're interested in participating in the parade, there's still time. Workshops will be held from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, June 6-7, in North Hall.

Photographer Tim Schoon visited North Hall during an earlier workshop to document the colorful creative process. Click on the thumbnail images below for a closer look.