Greenbush Day held today at Welcome Center

Great entertainment, great food, great neighborhood! That is how organizers describe the fifth annual Greenbush Day celebration, which will be held on Tuesday, March 22, from 4-6 p.m. in the university’s Welcome Center at 21 N. Park St.

The Welcome Center is located in the historic neighborhood often referred to as “the Bush,” an area in which Madison’s Italian and Sicilian immigrants, Jews and African Americans lived side by side until urban renewal displaced them in the early 1960s.

The area in the center of Greenbush known as the Triangle remains a culturally diverse, close-knit neighborhood inhabited by a mix of primarily Hmong and other recent immigrants, as well as elderly residents and persons with disabilities.

The celebration focuses on the vibrant past of the neighborhood as well as its flourishing and energetic present. It includes historical exhibits and other displays, light refreshments and the opportunity to sample ethnic foods from the Bush. Past and current residents of Greenbush will be among those attending the gathering.

The entertainment at this year’s event will include Judy Cooper, Rhythm & Blues singer, at 4:10 p.m.; Italian Folk Dancers of Madison, Italian and Sicilian folk dances, at 4:50 p.m.; and the Hua MuLan Dance Group, performing traditional and modern Chinese dances, at 5:30 p.m. There also will be storytelling throughout the event.

It is free and open to the public. Parking will be available on the second floor of the Lot 29 ramp.