Kentuckians gathered in Bowling Green’s Circus Square Park for the city’s 31st annual International Day. An extensive lineup of musicians and dancers took to one of three stages across the park to showcase their cultural music and dance performances as various vendors offered an equally diverse range of food from their numerous stalls.
Some local businesses sold trinkets of cultures across the globe to passersby while others ran food stalls, like Churrería la Coneja, where husband and wife José and Maria Hilde offered up churros and a variety of other foods. José bounced between two posts—one over a giant tub of fragrant, steaming churro dough, and the other in front of a press, where he cranked out churros into a large frying vat. Beside him, his daughter diligently ran the register.
Among the many performers who took the stage this weekend, three Tula Tribe belly-dancers came from Nashville to share their performance. “We dance a particular style of belly dance called ‘Fat Chance’ style,” says founder Rachel Charlene. “It was formerly known as American-Tribal style, founded in San Francisco, by a woman named Carolena Nericcio back in the ’90s.” They captivated the audience with their Middle Eastern jewelry and big 25-yard skirts while performing dances inspired by Egyptian, Folkloric, Classic Indian and Spanish Flamenco movements.

Gallery • 9 Photos

Arthur Trickett-Wile

Owner of Churreria la Coneja, José, pulls churros into a frier as his daughter handles cash and fills orders at their stall set up for the Bowling Green International Festival.