Palustris Festival Celebrating Visual Literary and Performing Arts March 25th thru 28th, 2010

by Moore County Arts Council
(Southern Pines, NC)

Presented by the Arts Council of Moore County and the Convention & Visitorâ€™s Bureau of Pinehurst, Southern Pines & Aberdeen Area, the Palustris Festival will present a remarkable variety of events showcasing the visual, literary and performing arts in Moore County. Scheduled for March 25-28, 2010, the festival is drawing attention from a wide range of arts groups and institutions in and around the Sandhills area.

Why the name Palustris? The word palustris is taken from the Latin name of the longleaf pine and was chosen for this event because of its unique connection to Moore County. One visit to our area and you will see the influence of the longleaf pine. Even the names of our towns, like Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Pinebluff and Whispering Pines, give you a sense of this special connection. In fact, Moore County is home to one of the largest stands of virgin longleaf pine forests in the country (160 acres in the Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve called the Boyd Round-Timber Tract), which is also home to the oldest living longleaf pine tree known in the world at more than 460 years old.

The Palustris Festival will be a community event unlike any other in the Sandhills. From its inception, the event has many goals: 1) Attract thousands of visitors from all over North Carolina and beyond to enjoy what makes Moore County unique; 2) Promote and support the local economy through increased retail and food sales and higher hotel occupancy rates; 3) Increase regional support of our community arts and cultural organizations and other nonprofits; and 4) Raise the sense of pride in Moore Countyâ€™s culture and history.

The Palustris Festival will include a concentration of diverse cultural performances, activities and events that will celebrate the visual, literary and performing arts in the Sandhills. We currently have over 75 events scheduled for this 4-day event.

For more info visit: www.PalustrisFestival.com