The Kent International Festival, one of the most renowned cultural festivals in the region, returns to the accesso ShoWare Center on Saturday, June 2.
Free to the public (admission and parking), the celebration features authentic food and wares, stellar entertainment on various stages, information-packed cultural booths and loads of activities for the whole family.
Highlights of the festival include:
• The World Wide Walk kicks off at 9:30 a.m. at Town Square Plaza (2nd Avenue and Smith Street). Join the dancing Chinese lion for the half-mile route to the ShoWare Center.
• With nearly 40 musical and dance performances on three stages, entertainment runs nonstop from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Crowd favorites include Taiko drummers, Hawaiian dancers and Sikh martial arts performers.
• Experience Kent’s diverse ethnic cuisine. Sample from some of the city’s most popular spots, including Fil Cuisine, Thai Chili, Olive Tree Mediterranean Restaurant and more. Among this year’s new participants is Ubuntu Street Café. The restaurant, operated by Project Feast, gives refugee and immigrant cooks from around the globe real-life experience to cultivate their culinary and customer service skills. The food court is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Travel the world via the festival’s cultural booths, featuring activities and education. Grab a “passport” before each visit to collect stamps. Participants who collect all stamps, receive a prize. Booths are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The two-hour grand festival finale begins at 5 p.m.
Find out more about events and participants on the festival’s Facebook page.
