After making a celebrated debut last year, the Festival of Nations is returning to the Nicollet County Fairgrounds to bring together the countless global cultures that make up St. Peter and surrounding communities.
On Saturday, May 18 from 12:30-5 p.m., visitors will find a rich display of music, art, dance and food reflecting Southern Minnesota’s cultural diversity. Organized by the Good Neighbor Diversity Council, the event seeks to connect community members from across cultures and raise awareness of the diversity of traditions and experiences that can be found in the region.
”Once we get to know our neighbors more, we actually get to see how much culture we have within our own neighborhood,” said Good Neighbor Diversity Council coordinator Echocce Mendoza.
With an expanded array of entertainment, cuisine and art, this year’s festival is shaping to be bigger than the last. Organizers have booked five dance and musical performers to headline the celebration, representing traditions from Mexico, Somalia and indigenous peoples.
Returning this year for a second performance at the Festival of Nations are Twin Cities-based dance troupes Ballet Folklórico México Azteca and the Somali Museum of Minnesota. Ballet Folklórico will be performing choreographed folkloric dances from Mexico while the high school and college-aged youth that make up the Somali Museum of Minnesota Dance Troupe will be showcasing traditional dances from regions across Somalia.
The festival newcomers include the Mis Raices Dance Collective, a Southern Minnesota dance troupe specializing in the folkloric dance of Mexico. Battle Creek Drum and Dance Troupe, who may be recognized in the area for performing at the St. Peter Indigenous Peoples’ Day Walk, will be showcasing pow-wow dances at the celebration. Finally, coming to Minnesota all the way from Mexico, the Nimbe Ensemble will be walking the Nicollet County Fairgrounds playing Mexican folk music.
If there’s one that unites people from all walks of life, it’s food — and the Festival of Nations promises to have grub galore. Inside Johnson Hall, visitors will be able to sample free cuisine at the festival’s International Cafe. Samples of shawarma and falafel, sambusa, cream cheese wontons, tamales, Irish food and more are all being prepared by area businesses and offered at no cost to make the festival more inclusive. All of the free samples are halal and no alcohol will be served at the event.
“Free food has been a wonderful thing we’ve been able to organize within our community so we can offer those to our underserved communities who may not always have the opportunity to enjoy something as festive as this,” said Mendoza.
Even more meal options can be found outdoors, where seven food trucks will be selling dishes with roots in Mexico, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Guatemala and Asia. While grabbing a bite, visitors can also head over to the music tent to hear genres from around the world like Afrobeats, cumbia and salsa courtesy of DJ Jon Ivan Gill.
In addition to a good meal, guests can pick up pottery, jewelry, paintings and other items on display at the artists and vendor market. Community members can also get creative themselves by contributing to the interactive mandala chalk art design outside Johnson Hall. Guests are invited to color in the 18-20 foot long mandala, created by artist Sandy Forseth.
For kids and families, Nancy Busse will be telling stories from around the world with puppets. The family-friendly event will also feature henna, games and traditional cultural crafts including a weaving project and leather pouch project by NAPAC.
Coordinator Zuleka Abdi emphasized the importance of opening up the festival to youth. For children in minority communities like the Somali community, the festival is a rare chance to participate in a community event where they can see their own culture being celebrated.
”Their food is there. There are people that look like them and speak their language and will be dancing and that’s a big thing,” said Abdi.
Abdi herself knows the importance of feeling seen in one’s community. When she first came to St. Peter, Abdi said she feared she would be an outsider. However, working with cross cultural groups like the Good Neighbor Diversity Council has allowed her to find belonging in the community.
}“I always thought I would be the isolated one, I would be the different one. Now I’m not. I’m a part of almost everything that’s going on in St. Peter and that brought me to connecting to these wonderful people,” said Abdi.
She hopes the Festival of Nations can have the same impact for others.
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