The opening night of the Cedars International Festival was such a huge success that it sent chills down the spine of the organizers of other local festivals, who sensed serious competition coming from the festivities that were relaunched this year.
Lebanese Forces leader Sami Geagea and his wife MP Strida Geagea – who heads the Cedars International Festival – sang along with heartthrob Wael Kfoury and danced the traditional dabke at the opening night of the festival over the weekend.
Wearing a glamorous white evening gown designed by Georges Chakra, which she matched with an adorned headband, Strida Geagea’s Greek princess-inspired look wowed the festival’s audience.
“The culture of death does not belong in Lebanon and has no place among us,” she said. “We espouse the culture of life and thus we oppose and condemn all forms of violence, including and not limited to the cutting-off of heads and the killing of children, as well as wars and destruction.”
Under the slogan, “The language of the spirit,” and after almost half a century of interruption, the Cedars International Festival returned this summer to Bsharri.
The northern town is hosting several of Lebanon’s top artists as part of an effort to revive tourism in the district. The four-night festival features a wide range of musical and artistic performances. Pop and rap music, classical piano and even comedy shows will be performed amid Bsharri’s beautiful scenery, with its fresh air and cool summer nights.
Strida Geagea explained that the Bsharri’s infrastructure was revamped in order to host the festivities. “We didn’t relaunch earlier because the infrastructure of the district was suffering,” she said. “But now the area is fully ready to host such an event.”
She added that one of the festival’s goals is to pay tribute to the golden age Lebanese singers such as Fairouz and the late Sabah and Wadih al-Safi.
The festival is organized by Ice Events International, which is known for planning large-scale events such as gala dinners, concerts and A-class weddings, as well as the Jounieh International Festival. Ice designed the main stage of the Cedars International Festival to resemble a 3-D cedar tree with changing colors.
Wael Kfoury, Elissa and Michel Fadel performed on the opening night of the festival Saturday.
A seven-minute fireworks display wowed the audience.
Abir Nehme, Father Khalil Rahme and the Notre Dame University Choir graced the stage Sunday.
On Aug. 7, the Mafi Metlo comedy show, featuring Adel Karam and Abbas Chahine, and rap group Mn el-Ekher will both perform, and the final night, on Aug. 8, will feature shows by Najwa Karam and Joseph Attieh.
Organizers hope that the festival will revitalize the area as a tourist destination and will encourage further investment in the district’s tourism sector.
Bsharri is a distinctive area and plays host to a number of cultural, religious and natural tourist destinations, including the Qadisha Valley, the home of Khalil Gibran and the sacred forest of Arz al-Rab.
Tickets to the Cedars International Festival are available through Virgin Megastore, the Gibran Museum and Boueri Press, Kaslik.
