Weekend of Cultural Celebrations at the Arts Council’s 44th Annual International Folk Festival
Updated: Mar 1
[Fayetteville, North Carolina] – The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County (Arts Council) releases an incredible lineup of awe-inspiring cultural artistry and cuisines for the Arts Council’s 44th Annual International Folk Festival this Friday, September 23rd through Sunday, September 25th, 2022, at Festival Park and Historic Downtown Fayetteville.
The most anticipated, longest running multicultural event in the region presents over 30+ Cultural Groups from every corner of the world that have gathered to celebrate the richness of our diverse heritage as ONE COMMUNITY. The free, 3-day event is jam-packed with cultural festivities and exhibitions in the visual, performing, and culinary arts.
“The Arts Council is honored to be able to gather over 30+ Cultural Groups to unite and celebrate their heritage through our love and appreciation for the ARTS,” says Bob Pinson, Interim President and CEO of the Arts Council. “Our festival continues to bring communities together to experience different cultures and embrace the differences that make us unique.”
Now in its 44th year, the International Folk Festival continues to impact the cultural arts sector throughout the region by providing quality, culturally enriched programming that serves as a platform for the most innovative and skillful visual and performing artists from around the world to connect with broader audiences and to display their talents across many disciplines and art forms.
2022 Feature Line-up
4th Friday Fiesta Latina
Friday, Sept 23rd | 6pm-9pm | Downtown Fayetteville
Cool Spring Downtown District honors the Hispanic culture with the 4th Friday Fiesta Latina that celebrates diversity and inclusion through entertainment, food trucks, trolley rides, stores, restaurants, plus more than 50+ vendors.
For more information, visit visitdowntownfayetteville.com/events/7672/.
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Faces of Colombia: The Invisible Communities
Works by Donna Slade
Friday, Sept 23rd | Opening Reception 6pm-9pm | The Arts Center
Heritage Exhibit Duration Sept 23 - Oct 29, 2022
As part of a volunteer peace delegation with Witness for Peace, Donna Slade traveled to Colombia, South America to capture a revealing account of how conditions under an oppressive government have created violence, displacement, and economic insecurity, particularly for Afro-Colombian and Indigenous people.
For more information, visit WeAreTheARTS.com/colombia.
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Around The World Run
Saturday, Sept 24th | Cape Fear Botanical Garden
Registration 6:30am | Race 7:30am
Dedicated to the global mission of Civil Affairs Soldiers and their families, runners gather each year to raise funds for the FOCA Scholarship Fund that awards merit and needs-based scholarships to spouses and children.
For more information, visit runsignup.com/Race/NC/Fayetteville/AroundtheWorldRun.
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Parade of Nations
Saturday, Sept 24th | Downtown Fayetteville
Pre-Parade Showcase | 9am-10am
Parade of Nations | 10am-12n
The Pre-Parade Showcase features music and dance exhibitions by international and local groups and bands.
Catch the excitement at the Parade of Nations returning with an amazing line-up of over 30+ Cultural Groups from around the world giving an action-packed display of festive floats and performances in their vibrant traditional costumes.
For more information, visit WeAreTheARTS.com/parade.
Cultural Groups include:
Army Ground Forces Band Native America Guam/Marianas Islands FSU Visiting International Students UNC Pembroke Belize Caribbean American Connection India |
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General Festival Features
Saturday, Sept 24th & Sunday, Sept 25th
12n-7p | Festival Park
Experience exquisite and authentic international cuisines that are inspired by traditional recipes from every corner of the world.
For more information, visit WeAreTheARTS.com/cuisine.
International Cuisine Vendors include:
Thailand India: Dosa on Wheels Peru: Peruvian Club of Fayetteville France: France Heritage Club India: Indian Temple Latino: II Lions FC Foundation Grenada: Caribbean Islanders NC Puerto Rico Guyana Haiti: Fusion Grill LLC Jamaica: Friends of Jamaica | Mexico: Mexican Cultural Association Native America: Hawke's Medicine Wheel Belize: Belizean Connection of Fayetteville Liberia: Theresa nah education Foundation Okinawa: Fayetteville Okinawa Kenjinkai Ghana: Ghana Association of Fayetteville Philippine: Philippine American Club of Fayetteville Caribbean: Caribbean Connections Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan Friendship Organization |
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The festival flourishes with juried art vendors and unique cultural art & crafts created by skilled artisans showcasing their diverse creativity in ceramics, drawings, glass, jewelry, metalwork, fabrics, photography, sculptures, and more.
For more information, visit WeAreTheARTS.com/artsmarket.
Electrifying cultural music, dance, and performance exhibitions fill the festival reflecting the diversity of our cultural identity through all genres of entertainment.
For more information, visit WeAreTheARTS.com/entertain.
Entertainment includes:
Magician Tain Collins Native American Cultural Showcase NC Brazilian Arts Project Silver Drummer Girl Colombian Takiri Group Mexico Jef the Mime Animatrixx Break Dancing Balloon Twister Airborne Aerialists Musical Wanderer Alex Weiss Panama | Africa Unplugged – Drum Ensemble SERNC Poetry Showcase Hawaii (Durham) Fayetteville Latin Dance Japan Martial Arts Okinawa Drummers Dreamville Dance Company Hawaii (Fayetteville) El Cardenal India Kenya Safari Acrobats Phreedom Healing – Sound Healer Philippines |
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Run! Play! Skip! Jump! And best of all… CREATE! Join us for two fun-filled days of celebrating the artistic expressions of our youth through cultural activities, arts & crafts, character appearances, international storytelling, music, dance, and more.
For more information, visit WeAreTheARTS.com/wow.
Activities include:
Latino Storytelling w/ Alex Weiss Jef the Mime & Balloon Twister Japanese Storytelling w/ Yasu Ishida Hawaii Climbing Wall Creative Face Painting | Phreedom Healing – Sound Healer African Storytelling w/ April Turner Magician Tain Collins Photo w/ Special Characters Youth Performances Cultural Arts & Crafts |
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Download the official 2022 International Folk Festival Logo and Tags:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bcyU7B1SkB-O_Ejj5jlJ9RIUHHq1BdW6?usp=sharing
Download Promotional Photos:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1V5hkY7GTtHu7Ydb1usRI7kxqInHE93V8?usp=sharing
Interested in being an Event Partner for the 2023 International Folk Festival, contact
Christy McNeil, Director of Marketing
christym@theartscouncil.com
910-460-5724
The International Folk Festival is a production of the
2022 Event Partners
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About the Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County
The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization based in Fayetteville, NC that supports individual creativity, cultural preservation, economic development, and lifelong learning through the ARTS. As a primary steward of public and private funding for arts, cultural, and historical activities in the Cape Fear Region, all affiliated programs of the Arts Council exemplify our 5 core values: Excellence, Accountability, Transparency, Collaborations, and Innovation. theartscouncil.com
In the year 2021-22, the Arts Council distributed almost $1 million in grant funds and allocations to Cumberland County arts and culture non-profit organizations, artists, and municipalities.
Grants, programs, and services of the Arts Council are funded in part by contributions from community partners, and through grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. ncarts.org