4th Annual International Festival Returns to Cobb

MARIETTA — Thousands of people from all walks of life came together for a vibrant celebration of global cultures, cuisines and traditions during the fourth annual Cobb International Festival on Saturday.

Coordinated by Cobb County Parks and Recreation, the event transformed Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center into a diverse cultural hub filled with international music, dance, food and more.

For many, it was an opportunity to learn more about the diverse cultures within the county.

Attendees enjoyed dishes from more than 40 food vendors, including Argentinian empanadas, Filipino chicken adobo and French beignets.

Gloria Bermudez, who runs Tacos Don Luis with her family, honored her parents by serving traditional Mexican food like carnitas tacos, pambazo (a chorizo and potato sandwich) and huarache (fried masa dough topped with beans, protein and other toppings).

“We are (making) them the way my mother used to sell them in Mexico City,” Bermudez said.

She added the event reminded her of the regular tianguis, open-air markets, in Mexico.

“It’s a nice opportunity to share with the community, with people, and share what we have,” she said.

For many, the event brought back a sense of nostalgia.

Having grown up around a large Filipino community, attendee Lorelei Hoeye relished the chance to enjoy familiar flavors like chicken adobo and lumpia, or fried spring rolls.

She said Cobb lacks international dining options, which can limit people.

“One of the biggest ways to learn about other cultures is through their food,” Hoeye said.

Michelle and Lonnie Smith of Austell attended with their 10-month-old daughter, Londyn, to experience new cultures and celebrate their Salvadorian and Jamaican background.

“Celebrating your culture is just being in tune with your identity,” she said. “Our family is really big on celebrating together, so that’s why we came out today.”

She said their top priority was to eat as much as their stomachs could handle.

Inside the event center, attendees shopped from over 50 different vendors, selling food from Jamaica and Afghanistan as well as a variety of clothing, jewelry and art.

Rachel Metellus, owner of Kayanou Products, offered samples of and sold a variety of homemade, packaged Ethiopian snacks like cassava bread, spicy and sweet peanut butter and tablettes, or coconut and cashew clusters.

Metellus said she wanted to bring a taste of the Caribbean to the newcomers and a sense of nostalgia back to Haitians in the area.

In addition to vendors, there were several local nonprofit organizations present offering a wide variety of community and global services.

Makda Mulugeta joined her mother and sister at their booth for Georgia nonprofit All My Sisters Around the World for Peace.

The three women sold a variety of items including clothing with messages of kindness as well as donated and handmade items, some of which were from Ethiopia.

“All these funds are going to help women in Ethiopia who have just gone through a war, and we’re creating business opportunities for them so that they can empower themselves and also their children,” Mulugeta said.

She added that meeting people of all backgrounds during the event was both inspiring and impactful.

“We want to keep coming back and doing more. Next year, we want to perform, show our culture,” Mulugeta said. “This is our first time, but definitely not our last time.”

According to Michael Brantley, director of Cobb Parks and Recreation, around nine or 10 consulates were represented at the event, including Jamaica and Argentina. Kids were even given paper passports to get stamped by vendors from different countries in exchange for various prizes, said Tonya Ashley, Cobb Parks communications specialist.

“I think this is something that’s pretty unique, specifically in the parks and recreation world,” Brantley said. “There’s a lot of different groups that reside in Cobb County, and a lot of those groups may not have that representation, so they’re able to come here and everybody’s able to share.”

During the day, around 13 dance groups performed, showcasing cultural dances from places such as India, Pakistan, Ireland and Poland.

Sisters Anuja and Sayali Birari performed kathak, a form of Indian classical dance characterized by intricate footwork and precise rhythmic patterns done while wearing and controlling 100 ankle bells.

Anuja Birari compared kathak to a form of storytelling through both dance and music.

“Everybody knows about opera and ballet, but we want to make sure we at least do our bit of spreading the word,” Sayali Birari said.

The sisters said they wanted to use the event to break stereotypes about India and bring familiarity to their culture.

“There are still people who feel like India is just a land of snake charmers or IT people,” Sayali Birari said.

Through their love of dancing, they felt that they were able to spread joy and foster understanding..

“The importance of having different people know your culture not only broadens your perspective, but theirs too, and it also helps with being accepted globally,” Anuja Birari said.

On Oct. 26, Cobb Parks will host a free fall festival at Jim Miller Park with a haunted house, hay rides, performances and more.

For more information about future events at the park, visit cobbparks.org or cobbcounty.org .