The annual Lotus World Music & Arts Festival is a yearly celebration of how one small town can draw the entire world to its doorstep. From the marching bands to the workshops to the ukuleles — and don’t forget the polyphonic songs in the language of Occitan — Lotus delivers a vast variety of music and art in an intimate, walkable setting.

Last year’s hit, March Fourth Marching Band from Portland, Oregon, returns with their spats-less set of trippy, acrobatic marching band music. Their appearance helps salve the wound of the missing Balkan Beat Box, who in the past few years has become the darling of Lotus.

In fact, March Fourth Marching Band is not the only marching band in the festival. Festival executive director Lee Williams says that after he learned March Fourth “was only available on the Saturday of the festival I had to think about the Friday parade. Could I go back to a few drummers leading the parade after last year? The answer kept coming up ‘no’ so I made the call to Mucca Pazza and they were excited to come down from Chicago for Lotus.”

Another group sure to be excited — and to excite — is Indy’s own Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band. Williams says he had Peyton “on the back burner... and when one of our international artists canceled in early August, the first call I made was to Reverend Peyton’s agent. I think our audience is going to love them.”

A couple artist highlights

Etran Finatawa

This African tribal fusion group from Niger hails from the nomadic Toureg and Woodabe-Fulani cultures and combines Saharan tribal traditions with modern interpretations, utilizing bluesy electric guitars, traditional instruments and the polyphonic songs of the Woodabe people. Hypnotic. They play Friday and Saturday. See: www.etranfinatawa.com/

Julie Fowlis

This singer/songwriter comes to Lotus sporting a bunch of recent awards including Folk Singer of the Year (BBC Radio 2 Folk Music Awards 2008), Album of the Year (Scots Trad music awards 2007) and Gaelic Singer of the Year (Scots Trad music awards 2007) Her new CD Cuilidh is a pure delight, moving effortlessly from ballads that melt your heart to jigs that get that heart jumping again. She plays Thursday and Friday. See: www.juliefowlis.com/

Little Cow

Budapest, Hungary’s Little Cow will ably fill the need for a rocking Balkan Gypsy group at Lotus. Reminiscent of Gogel Bordello and Golem, this band promises to get the dance party started. They play Friday and Saturday. See: www.myspace.com/littlecowband

Lo Còr de la Plana

Ah... the aforementioned “polyphonic song in Occitan,” is a group of six male a cappella performers coupled with the clapping beat of hand drums. The group combines Arabic and African influences, along with Gregorian chants — all sung in the ancient language of Occitan. They play Saturday and Sunday. See: www.myspace.com/locordelaplana

March Fourth Marching Band

March Fourth Marching Band seems to be comprised of folks who were kicked out of their high school marching bands because they didn’t want to wear spats or got caught smoking pot or watched too many Fellini films. Or all three. They play Saturday, including the expanded parade route beginning at 8:15 p.m. at IU’s Sample Gates and marching down Kirkwood Avenue to Walnut. See: www.marchfourthmarchingband.com/

Mucca Pazza

Hails from Chicago and features 30 members who describe themselves as “grown up dorks with too much energy and too little self-restraint.” Talk about dork pride! Like March Fourth, Mucca Pazza ranges over a variety of music, from zombie-mambo to classical. They play Friday. See mucca-pazza.org/

Reelroad

Calling themselves “post-folk,” this Russian group plays traditional Russian music with modern arrangements and infectiously global rhythms. They’ve made it their mission to dig up the roots of the musical traditions of northern and central Russia and Siberia — and breathe new life into the forms. Reelroad will give a workshop on Russian folk dance at Saturday’s Lotus in the Park. They play Friday and Saturday. See www.reelroad.spb.ru/

Speaking of Lotus in the Park

Even at 15 years-old, there’s room for improvement for Lotus. And one aspect of the festival that keeps improving is the emphasis on providing plenty of free activities for all ages. The centerpiece of the Lotus Festival free fun is the annual Lotus in the Park held  Oct. 4 in Third Street Park from noon-5:30.

Live performances include: the aforementioned Reelroad, followed by Son de Madera, James Hill & Anne Davison and, finally, La Musgaña. Workshops and demonstrations include Tuareg and Woodabe customs from Niger (with Etran Finatawa), Didjeridoo Master Class (with Yidumduma Bill) and West African Dance (Sogbety Diomande and the West African Drum and Dance Company). Remember, it’s free — and at the end of the afternoon, March Fourth Marching Band will lead a procession into the downtown area to begin the music showcases.

As for the showcases, Lee Williams points out “we have eight evening venues this year — for the first time since 2004.” Those venues are scattered throughout downtown Bloomington — all within easy walking distance.

The music schedule can always change at the last minute when you’re dealing with international travel, so keep checking the Lotus website at www.lotusfest.org

WHAT: 15th annual Lotus World Music & Arts Festival
WHERE: Downtown Bloomington, IN
WHEN: Oct. 2-5
TICKETS: www.bloomingtonarts.info
Box office/walk-up sales: Sunrise Box Office (114. E. Kirkwood) and Bloomingfoods locations
INFO: www.lotusfest.org