Falasteen! In the Valley returns with expanded programming under new collective

LEAVENWORTH — An event celebrating Palestinian music and culture is returning to Leavenworth for its second year in festival form, presented by a new music and arts collective called House of Sumoud.

Falasteen! In the Valley Festival will take place on Oct. 24 and 25, featuring “music, dance, poetry, and art that turns cultural expression into defiance, resistance, and resilience.” The two-day event will begin Friday evening with artist performances at Bushel & Bee Taproom, then carry into an all-day festival at Icicle Creek Center for the Arts on Saturday.

“Everyone is welcome, and we really welcome everyone to come and experience the beauty of sumoud and the beauty of Palestinian culture,” said event organizer Anour Esa, emphasizing that the evening is meant as a celebration of culture and connection; it is a non-political, non-religious event, and does not condone hate-speech or violence.

Esa and fellow Leavenworth resident Abde Elshafei co-organized the inaugural Falastin! In the Valley last fall as a means to celebrate their culture, create connection, and raise money for humanitarian support in Gaza. The pair also worked together on the Float for Falastin event on the Wenatchee River this summer, which was followed by a Rave for Gaza benefit at Bushel & Bee Taproom. Collectively, these events brought together hundreds of people and raised thousands of dollars for various aid groups.

Wanting to carry that momentum forward, Esa recently founded House of Sumoud, a not-for-profit arts and culture collective that will now present Falasteen! in the Valley in its expanded, two-day form.

“I really see it as a music and arts collective dedicated to celebrating and preserving Palestinian and indigenous culture while cultivating resistance and resilience through art, music and storytelling. And so we'll create programs and events that build community, inspire solidarity and support humanitarian and cultural initiatives,” said Esa.

Esa said the name was inspired by a playlist he put together when organizing the Rave for Gaza benefit – a play on house music and the Arabic word “sumoud,” meaning steadfastness. 

“This concept of sumoud…it speaks to many of us in the Palestinian community,” said Esa. “When I look at these kids in Gaza, or these farmers in the West Bank…Palestinians just keep on going, and it really is this steadfastness…Palestinians are some of the most resilient people on Earth.”

He added that while “house” began as a pun, it also reflects the deeper meaning of a house for Palestinians — not just a dwelling, but a gathering place where families celebrate, grow, and carry traditions across generations.

Esa sees the established Falasteen! In the Valley event as the springboard for ongoing House of Sumoud events. He says the change from Falastin to Falasteen was intentional; both are common transliterations of the Arabic word for Palestine, but switching to Falasteen was a way to encourage the correct pronunciation. This year, Elshafei will be a speaker at the event.

The weekend will commence Friday evening with artists performances during “Sumoud Sounds” at Bushel & Bee Taproom. Saturday’s full-day festival will include artist vendors, interactive booths, speakers, live music and poetry. In partnership with Ya Hala Seattle, a space will be dedicated to community gathering over coffee, tea and games. Ya Hala founder Hala Saleh will be one of the speakers at the event, as well as Maher Joudi, co-founder of Palestine Will Live Forever Fest, another event partner.

Saturday’s event will be ticketed for the first time, allowing the event to expand from a few hours into an all-day festival. As Esa works to register House of Sumoud as a nonprofit in Washington state, he is securing fiscal sponsorship with an established organization for event revenue and cost management; any additional proceeds plan to go toward House of Sumoud’s future programming.

The festival will also raise funds for Gaza Soup Kitchen and the United Palestinian Appeal, which provide urgent humanitarian aid in Gaza, as well as Al-Kamandjâti, which offers music education to Palestinian youth. QR codes will be available for direct donations to these organizations, ensuring contributions go through established, vetted channels.

The performances at Bushel & Bee Taproom will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 24. The event is for ages 21 and up, with a suggested minimum donation of $15. The Saturday festival will take place at Icicle Creek Center for the Arts from 11 a.m to 7 p.m., and is a ticketed event. Early bird tickets can be found on Eventbrite until Sept. 30; prices go up after Oct. 1. Families are encouraged to attend Saturday’s event, with minors accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media