The festival showcases artists from all over the world, representing cultural traditions from Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) to Mizrahi (Middle Eastern/North African) to Yemenite (Judeo-Arabic). In addition to traditional liturgical music, Shabbat songs, Sephardic folk tunes, and classic love poems (Romanceros), the festival also presents artists who fuse traditional rhythms, melodies, and themes with modern styles such as electro, hip hop, and dance music. The Sephardic Scholar Series, an important part of the Festival, brings performers, ethnomusicologists, and experts together to illuminate the historical and sociological roots of Sephardic music and culture.

Dec 20th | NURIYA, PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER & HAALE

@ LE POISSON ROUGE

Dec 21st | DAN AND AVIVA & DRORY YEHOSHUA

@ THE SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE SYNAGOGUE

Dec 22nd | SHI 360 “SHALOM HATERS” RELEASE

@ WORLDWIDE

Dec 22nd | MOSHAV, SOULFARM & DESCRIBE

@ HIGHLINE BALLROOM

Dec 24th (1st event) | MIKI GAVRIELOV, LILY HENLEY & GUESTS

@ LE POISSON ROUGE

Dec 24th (2nd event) | HEEBONISM FEATURING DIWON & GUESTS

@ LE POISSON ROUGE

Dec 26th | GERARD EDERY, ASEFA & OUDBLUES

@ SIXTH ST. SYNAGOGUE

Dec 27th | SEPHARDIC STORY SLAM

@ THE TRIAD THEATER

Accepting Submissions

Seeking stories of middle eastern upbringing or experiences, travels to Middle Eastern communities, family traditions from Morocco, Persia, Tunisia, Yemen, Israel and other countries. E-mail your headshot or picture and a short description of your story.