Bells Ringing on New Year's Day

A symphony of sound will blanket the nation’s capital as it rings in 2021 with several free virtual and outdoor events for a great cause.

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, December 4, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Prepare to ring in the New Year with the National Bell Festival (BellFest) in Washington, DC, taking place this New Year’s Day. BellFest presents a wide array of free and safe programming which celebrates the history of our nation through the lens of DC’s often overlooked bells and bell towers: the jubilation of independence, the pain of civil war, the sacredness of community, and the resounding hope of tomorrow.

Bells will sound overhead at 2:00pm Eastern time, with participating towers throughout Washington, DC, and in a growing list of cities and townships throughout the country. This symbolic gesture of ringing bells together celebrates our commitment to community and our great ambitions for the year ahead.

The festival is designed to reignite an appreciation for bell towers as sentinels of our city, and to raise critical funding for the care and restoration of historic bells. For its first service project, BellFest will refurbish the old bell at Georgetown Lutheran Church on Wisconsin Avenue. Cast centuries ago, the bell was lost in the Civil War and recovered decades later, but hasn’t rung since. In commemoration of the congregation’s 250th anniversary, BellFest will fund the restoration and installation of this bell as a historic artifact of the Georgetown community.

All BellFest events are free with limited availability, and donations to support the National Bell Festival’s efforts are accepted. Events include:

Kettlebell Workout with Luwamé
January 1, 2021 | 11am to 11:30am (Eastern)
Streaming Online

Kickstart the New Year and get your blood flowing with a high-energy, full-body, and dynamic kettlebell workout under the tutelage of celebrated personal trainer, host, speaker, and supermom of three: Luwam Tesfaye, who founded the lifestyle brand Luwamé.

Brunch with Chef Anthony Chittum
January 1, 2021 | 12pm to 12:45pm (Eastern)
Streaming Online

Prepare a James Beard House-worthy brunch with Award-winning Chef Anthony Chittum. From his kitchen at Iron Gate he will show attendees how to create a signature dish for New Year’s Day brunch. In this 30-minute cooking demo, Chef Anthony will share tips and tricks from how to source the best local ingredients to the proper way to hold a knife. Attendees also have the option to skip the grocery store, as BellFest has partnered with Neighborhood Provisions to bring the ingredients right to their door.

Yoga with Paige Lichens
January 1, 2021 | 1:00 to 2:00 pm EST
Streaming Online

Taught by Kripalu certified and registered yoga and meditation teacher, Paige Lichens, attendees of this yoga and meditation class will gain a fresh new perspective, clarify the mind, and channel happy new beginnings with a calming practice of reflection, refinement, and alignment. The class will incorporate the soothing tones and vibrations of both crystal and metal bowls so participants can enter a deeper state of relaxation and consciousness while invigorating their chakras.

Watercolors with Cris Clapp Logan
January 1, 2021 | 3:30-4:00pm (Eastern)
Streaming Online

Release your inner artist and learn to watercolor with acclaimed illustrator, Cris Clapp Logan. Cris will share her artistic tips as she creates an original artwork from start to finish. Attendees will follow along as Cris sketches her concept onto a blank canvas, solidifies the figures and scene, and adds layers of color and texture to make a truly one-of-a-kind piece of art.

Concert: First and Forward
January 1, 2021 | 4:30-5:00pm (Eastern)
Streaming Online

The National Bell Festival is thrilled to present Elizabeth Hill on piano for a program highlighting the rich diversity and history of piano works in America. Each of the featured composers (Florence Beatrice Price, Robert Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, and Tatev Amiryan) spanning more than a century of creative exploration, expands upon the musical language of heritage, of folk and sacred music, to forge new and boundary-reshaping narratives in their art. Past meets present. Present challenges expectations and propels the future. This is a concert for the New Year.

Also new for National Bell Festival 2021, several family-friendly bell-themed activities can be downloaded for free. From building a popsicle bell tower to coloring a bell, these 8 fun activities can be done from the comfort and safety of home.

About National Bell Festival

The National Bell Festival Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, presents the annual New Year’s Day celebration in Washington, DC. On the first day of the year, bells in towers across the nation’s capital ring out together and unite the community around listening parties, eclectic events, and special programming. BellFest also works throughout the year to restore historic bells and bell towers to their former thundering glory. Sponsors that made this festival and restoration efforts a ringing success include Metro Motor, Spey fine jewelry, and ImageWorks Creative.

Paul Ashe
National Bell Festival
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