Drum events come to county parks

Orange County —Free family drumming events are scheduled at several locations around the county during September. At the performances and workshops, Maxwell Kofi Donkor, founder of the Sankofa Drum and Dance Ensemble, will teach the history and techniques of West African drumming. Events are scheduled at the following local parks: Railroad Green Park in Warwick — Saturday, Sept. 10. Town of Greenville Park in Greenville — Saturday, Sept. 17.5 Davidge Park in Middletown — Saturday, Sept. 24. Town of Cornwall Park, Cornwall — Sunday, Sept. 25. Downing Park, Newburg — Saturday, Oct. 20. The gatherings will run from 4 to 7 p.m. (1 to 3 p.m. in Greenville), with the first hour devoted to drumming instruction and the second to an interactive drum circle. Sankofa will perform during the last hour. Dancing is encouraged, and dancers from Senegal and Ghana will participate. At least 20 instruments will be available for use at each gathering, but participants are encouraged to bring their own as well. For more information or to reserve a place in the free workshops, call 355-8329, write to kofi@frontiernet.net, or visit www.bak2roots.com.