A 4.6-mile maze of booths and stages scattered across Circus Square Park, each pathway was lined with different types of artwork, clothing and food.
For the past 35 years, Bowling Green has been the host of one of the largest cultural celebrations in the state, according to Kentucky Festival Guides and Reviews. The Bowling Green International Festival is a “Celebration of cultural unity with traditional music and dance, vendors, and authentic foods,” according to their website.
Executive Director of the International Festival, Kim Mason, said that estimating the number of cultures represented would be difficult, due to many performances being a fusion of multiple cultures, as well as having multiple ethnic groups within a represented country.
Mason also describes the growing cultural diversity of the festival since she became director in 2001, “Physically it’s (The International Festival) four times the size. And the variety has also grown immensely as the community has diversified.”
Starting at 9 a.m., performances began on all three stages with 27 different music and dance groups sharing their culture simultaneously.
One of the groups that performed was Thuatha Dea, an Appalachian Celtic Tribal Rock band. This is the band’s tenth year performing at the International Festival.
“What I like about this is how you bring all these people together and it’s sort of a community,” Danny Mullikin, guitarist and founding member of the band, said. “Otherwise, you’re not going to see this kind of energy being exchanged.”
Mullikin also said music is important to him because it can be used to bring people together. It just unites us all, Mullikin said.
During a performance of Bosnian and Romani folk music by Armin Hasanagic and Friends, many audience members stood and began doing the traditional dances. Dancers invited bystanders to join and taught them the moves of their culture.
In addition to the presentations of food and music, there was also a presence from the Immigration Law Center, a Bowling Green law firm prioritizing immigration rights. There were several foreign and domestic aid and relief organizations as well, including the Jein Children’s Fund, BRASSInc., and Project Yesu.
Rory Fundora, mother of Project Yesu’s founder, Mallory Fundora, explained that their purpose is to bring food, medicine, and education to children in Uganda. This is Project Yesu’s second time attending the festival, where they sell the products made by the mothers in their program to help fund their mission.
“It’s really cool to be able to share with the little kids and letting them know that, hey, you can make a change,” Fundora said.
Mason said the goal of the International Festival was for the members of the Bowling Green community to come together and celebrate different cultures, a goal she said she’s been aiming to achieve since stepping into the role in 2001.
“Everybody’s different, but yet, we all come together, ” said performer Danny Mulikin.
