Flags of various countries lined the ceilings. People of all different ethnicities and races represented their countries. It wasn’t a United Nations meeting that brought so many cultures together, but the 28th International Festival of Raleigh.
Running from Oct. 4 to Oct. 6, the festival had the Raleigh Convention Center brimming with people enjoying other cultures’ dances, music and foods.
Melissa Beard, executive director of the International Festival of Raleigh, said the event would most likely draw in 30 to 35,000 attendees.
With the tagline, “Discovering the World in Raleigh,” the festival showcased more than 60 different cultures.
“Everything has an international flavor,” Beard said. “I’m excited about the new things I’ve been able to bring with me as the new executive director. While the old standards are what have made this festival a success, we need to put a little bit of a spin on it every year to keep it fresh.”
According to Beard, the festival this year created its own Amazing Race. Calling it Raleigh’s Race Around the World, seven teams completed challenges based on their knowledge about the world and how they were able to interact with other cultures.
“We’ve secured two tickets to Managua, Nicaragua,” Beard said. “It’s a five-night stay at the Mango Rosa Hotel and Resort in San Juan del Sur, a gorgeous, little pacific coast Nicaraguan town with great food and great waves.”
Another new twist to the festival is the revamped beer garden. Partnering with Deep River Brewing, Raleigh Brewing, Natty Greene’s and Fullsteam, the festival will have craft beers specifically matching dishes at some of the sidewalk cafés.
“They’ll match the Philippine, Brazilian, Dutch and Korean cafés,” Beard said. “You’ll be able to try pairings with whatever foods from those cultures you may like. We’re putting the beer back in beer garden.”
With its staple events such as the children’s section, Sophia’s Corner, as well as the main performing stage, Beard said that people always seem to talk about the food.
“As I’ve been going around telling people I’m the new executive director they go, ‘Oh, that’s the festival with all the food,’” Beard said. “We’re the festival with the good food and various cuisine. Everything from Kenyan to Iranian – it’s always really good food.”
Run by the nonprofit, International Focus, the International Festival, Beard explained, is the organization’s flagship event.
“Obviously, this is our cornerstone event of the year,” Beard said. “However, this year we’ll have lots of other programs—more than we’ve ever had before. We [offer] service resources for other cultural groups that might like to have ties to performers or the cultural and ethnic associations.”
Having worked with nonprofits for about 20 years, Beard talked about the pitfalls that come from volunteering
“Running nonprofit organizations, you tend to get a little cynical from time to time with volunteer involvement,” Beard said. “These guys have been truly good and they know what they’re doing. If I had to manage all roughly 10 venues, I would pull my hair out. The commitment on the part of the volunteers is really extraordinary. We’re very fortunate in that regard. The ethnic communities they really comer together for this – it’s been something amazing to see.”
Bread said that, ultimately, the interworking of the International Festival is down to a science.
“Everyone here has been amazing,” Beard said. “That’s part of the magic of walking into an event that’s in its 28th year – you know what you’re doing. If the volunteers and the communities we work with didn’t know how to come together like they do, I don’t know how it would have come together this year.”
North Carolinians gather for Raleigh's 28th annual International Festival.
