A festival underway in Des Moines this weekend seeks to address social issues through art. Ben Allaway is the executive director of the "Thresholds Festival." Allaway says they’re in their seventh year in the Drake neighborhood and have been able to bring in some exciting guests to talk about their message, including Richie Havens, Jean-Michel Costeau, and the daughter of Leonard Bernstein.
This year’s guest is Odetta. Allaway says Odetta is a blues musician who was heavily involved in the Civil Rights movement. He says Dr. Martin Luther King called Odetta the "Mother of American folk music" and she was with King at several of his famous marches and was a favorite of Rosa Parks. Allaway says they have several events scheduled through the weekend that are for adults and kids.
Allaway says it’s a great event and a time to inspire people who have been doing this all their lives. For a complete schedule of events, surf to www.thresholdsfestival.com .