Miami, FL- City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz’s Heart of Our Parks (HOP) Summer Series will commemorate the end of the season with a musical recital titled The Circle of Life, on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 6:30pm at the Little Haiti Cultural Center.  The program, featuring specialty arts camps including Music, Choral, Drama and Film; will also mark the inaugural student exhibition of the Lewis Arts Academy.  Through a generous grant from the Jonathan Lewis Foundation, children with a demonstrated interest in the visual arts worked with master teachers to experience the art in their neighborhoods, explore career paths, and connect with other students that share their interests.  

More than 300 children, who participated in the City’s Cultural Arts Camps, will showcase lessons learned and talents honed during the summer break.  Performances include CityKids Choir singing a musical montage of hits such as Nants’ Ingonyama from The Lion King and One Short Day from The Wiz; Drama Campers’ production of The Lion King; Music Camp renditions of The Lion King; Visual Arts Camp creation of The Young King; and the Film Camp’s special premiere of Dance for a Daisy prepared by campers, under the guidance of the Florida Film Institute.  

ABOUT HEART OF OUR PARKS (HOP):
An initiative of Mayor Manny Diaz, Heart of Our Parks provides culturally enriched educational and entertaining programs for City of Miami residents.  During the summer, HOP places particular emphasis on cultivating children’s talents. Additionally, HOP provides quality year-round entertainment for the entire family—with events like PJs in the Park, Shakespeare in the Park, Fresh Air Flicks, Dive in Movies, and the Jazz on the Bay concert series. HOP ensures a steady flow of entertainment free of charge for the entire family!