From the Harvard Pops Orchestra's performance of "Rhapsody in Blue" to the Pforzheimen House screening of. First festival spanned the spectrum of art forms at Harvard last weekend.

About 2,000 students displayed their talents in the festival's nearly 200 events, which ranged from cultural dance presentations to poetry readings to stage productions.

The festival got going at 4 p.m. Thursday with a performance of Androcles and the Lion in Radcliffe Yard. It continued with a parade through the Square Saturday morning, a performance fair that afternoon and ended with a musical presentation of Recent Britain at 10 p.m. last night.

At a tent in front of the Science Center-that was the hub of the celebration-the Harvard Arts Medal was awarded Saturday evening to David A. Hayes '52. He is the founder of the National Theatre of the Deaf, a professional acting company composed of deaf and hearing actors. The medical which goes to alms who have significant contribution in the are been awarded at the festival every year since 1995.

Students had rave reviews for the festival and the artistic appreciation it creates.

"At Harvard you're here in your own world," said Mimi R. Asnes '02, who performed with CityStep. "You put your blinders on and you forget that there's all of this other stuff going on. It's amazing to get it all together."

Because this year marks the 25th anniversary of the office of the Arts (OFA), this year's festival placed a special emphasis on alums. Director of the OFA Myra A. Mayman--who has served as director since the office's inception--invited back alums who have gone on to artistic careers.

Kicking off the festival on Thursday night was the Choreographers' Ink Alumni Modern Dance Concert, featuring the choreography of visiting artist Christopher G. L. Caines '85-'86 and several dancing graduates.

Stanford T. Makishi '87, a member of the Patricia Brown Dance Company in New York said coming back to Harvard for Arts First reminds him of his college days.

"Because of the spirit around the event, I really feel like I belong to the University," Makashi said. "I feel welcome and part of the school."

One of the most famous alums in attendance was Master of the Arts at Harvard John A. Lithgow '67. In 1993, Lithgow--then a member of the Board.

of Overseers--founded the festival.

After Witnessing an impressive display ofstudent artistic talent at President Neil L.Rudenstine's inauguration in 1992, Lithgowsuggested that Harvard hold a dinner for all ofthe students involved in the arts. But instead ofthe dinner, Lithgow's proposal grew into a muchlarger vision--Arts First.

In the first festival, Mayman said she drewtogether about 30 people to serve as organizers.This year, 135 people helped to organize the eventand about 155 volunteers helped make it runsmoothly.

Mayman said Lithgow continues to be animportant part of the festival's planning.

"He's an excellent thinker," she said. "Hehelps us think through things and get aroundproblems."