Dieses Jahr feiert Frankie Manning seinen 95. Geburtstag! Feiert mit in dem dass ihr vom 12. - 22. März bei "Frankie Week" mitmacht!

Dear Lindy Hoppers from Around the World,

First of all, we want to thank the 1300+ people from over 30 countries who have already registered for Frankie Manning's 95th Birthday Festival! We are totally overwhelmed by the community's response, which surpasses even our own ambitious goals.

In this short message, we want to update you on registration and give you more information about Frankie Week from March 12-22 and the Birthday Greetings. So let's get to it!

**REGISTRATION**
As of Monday, Feb 16th, Frankie’s 95th Birthday Festival is sold out of festival packages. We will have individual tickets for specific nights available and that information will be made public in the next two or three weeks. Please check www.frankie95.com for up to date information. You can also sign up for our email list for an announcement of when individual tickets will go on sale at: frankie95.com/newsletter.php

**FRANKIE WEEK**
As we announced in a previous message, mark your calendars for "Frankie Week", March 12-22, 2009. This week will allow Frankie fans from all over the world (whether or not they're coming to the actual Festival) to celebrate Frankie's 95th birthday by honoring him in a few special ways:
1) A Global Shim Sham: Lindy hop scenes from all around the world will video themselves dancing the Shim Sham (preferably to Jimmy Lunceford's "Tain't What You Do". We'll take the best videos and edit them into one compilation to show at the Frankie Festival.
2) A Birthday Card for Frankie: Dance studios, performance groups, local dances and individuals will be taking photos of themselves as Birthday Cards for Frankie. These will be presented to Frankie during the Festival. Be as creative as you wish!
3) Help Spread the Word: Use this week as an opportunity to tell others in your community (and beyond) about Frankie and lindy hop.
4) Fundraise for a Birthday Greeting: Raise funds to purchase a special birthday greeting for Frankie in the official program of the Frankie 95 Festival.

Please spread the word about Frankie Week. We can’t wait to see the creative submissions from individuals and communities all over the world! For more information on how you can participate in any of these activities, please visit: www.frankie95.com/frankieweek.php

**BIRTHDAY GREETING**
Frankie Manning’s 95 Birthday Festival will be the one of the largest and most significant lindy events of this generation. To commemorate this occasion, the Festival is putting together a special Frankie Manning 95th birthday commemorative program that all attendees will receive for free. Please join us in wishing Frankie a happy birthday by placing your very own Birthday Greeting in the program for Frankie and the rest of the international lindy community to see. The program will be filled with well wishes from fans (individuals and organizations) all over the world.

Also, please note that the Festival is an entirely volunteer effort; all net proceeds generated by the event will be used to establish a Frankie Manning Foundation to be directed by Frankie himself with the purpose of promoting the lindy hop and swing music globally. Your Birthday Greeting is 100% tax deductible. Your support is greatly appreciated.

To purchase a Birthday Greeting, please visit: www.frankie95.com/birthdaygreeting.php

Yours on the 2 and 4,
The Frankie 95 Organizing Team